The Years In Between
by Romancefreak97
Summary: ***Contains major spoilers*** This story picks up right where The One ended and fills in the eighteen year gap until The Heir. It's full of fluffy Maxerica scenes and lots of royal drama. Follow along as we see our favorite couple start a life together. I try to remain as true to Kiera's books as possible.
1. The Wedding--Part I

**A/N: This picks up pretty much where** _ **The One**_ **left off. I loved both the Selection Series and** _ **The Heir**_ **, but I really wanted to fill in the gap between the two. So this is my interpretation of what was going on before we meet eighteen year old Eadlyn. Honestly, it will probably be more like a series of one-shots than anything else, but we'll see.**

 **I do not own any of these characters, so any full passages you see in italics are Kiera Cass' words. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **From _The One_**

 _Maxon and I move close to each other as the ceremony starts._

" _Hello, my dear," he whispers._

" _Don't start," I warn in return and we are both left smiling._

 _He holds my hands as if they're the only things pinning him to the earth, and I focus on that as I prepare myself for the words coming, the promises I'll never break. It's magical, really, the power this day has._

* * *

The minister begins the ceremony, but I don't pay very close attention to the words. We've already had three rehearsals to make sure this day goes off without a hitch. As much as this wedding is about Maxon and I, it is so much more for the public. Though I begged to have something a little more private, Silvia insisted that it needed to be televised. Because of this silly little detail I had to sit through three full rehearsals and countless other classes to learn what to do at the right time during the ceremony. Of course not only for our wedding, but for my coronation as well.

So I don't pay too much attention to what's going on. I mindlessly follow the words and stand up when I'm supposed to, sit when I'm supposed to, and repeat after the minister the words that I'm supposed to. The whole time I keep my eyes and mind on Maxon. I can't believe we finally made it to this day. If at the beginning of this competition someone had told me I would be standing next to this man in a wedding dress I would have laughed in their face, but now I couldn't imagine any other outcome.

All of the sudden I hear the minister ask us each to speak our vows and I immediately tune in. This is where I won. Silvia insisted that we needed to recite the traditional "'till death do us part" vows, but I wanted something a little more personal. If I was going to have the ceremony be so public, this was the one thing I wanted to control. In the end Silvia gave in, realizing that the public might actually like personal vows better anyway. Personally, I didn't care about what the public wanted out of this day, but if it convinced Silvia I was on board.

The minister turns to Maxon. "You may start your highness."

Maxon looks at me with so much love in his eyes, I can already feel the tears pricking behind mine. He clears his throat and begins speaking.

"America, I love you so much. I have from the moment I saw you. Sure, at first I agreed to just be your friend, but I soon figured out that I wanted more than that. Your stubbornness and tenacity enchanted me more than any other girl, and I kept finding myself comparing everyone to you. Your fiery personality challenged me to start thinking and acting for myself, and I loved that you were the one that brought that out in me. I knew I would wait as long as it took for you to catch up because you were worth it America. You are worth it. I treasure every minute we've shared, whether it was spent arguing or laughing or just enjoying each other's silent company. My love for you has only grown every day that I've known you, and I can't wait to see where our future goes. I promise to love you, listen to you, and protect you always." As Maxon finishes his vows I can feel the tears streaming down my face. His words reflect my emotions so well, and I can't believe that I get to spend the rest of my life with this wonderful man.

The minister then turns to me. "America, your turn."

I take a deep breath and attempt to compose myself. Maxon removes his hands from mine to wipe the tears from my cheeks. He gives me a small smile and I finally find some composure.

"Maxon, I don't even know where to begin. Before I even came to the palace I had so many preconceived notions about you, and you proved every last one of them wrong. You are the kindest, strongest, and most generous man I know, and I thank God every day that you waited as long as you did for me to catch up. Even when things got rough between us, or I had my doubts, you waited and stood by me; you supported me. Thank you for that, Maxon, because without it I'm not sure if I would have found the strength to be here today. My promise to you is to not give up on us. Even when things get hard, which knowing me, I'm sure they will, I promise to always keep my love for you first. I love you, Maxon, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with such an extraordinary man."

As I finish my vows I hear sniffles, but they aren't mine or Maxon's. I take a quick glimpse of the room and see many people reaching for tissues. I then notice Silvia out of the corner of my eye, and almost start laughing. She has a similar look of tearful content on her face, but unlike the rest of the congregation, her focused is not placed on the altar, but rather on the tearful audience. To her surprise, the personal vows were a hit.

I turn my focus back on Maxon. He mouths the words 'I love you' as the minister gives his closing remarks.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, by the power vested in me by the crown of Illéa, I now pronounce these two husband and wife," the minister turns to Maxon, "You my kiss your bride."

Maxon pulls me in and places an appropriate, but loving kiss on my lips. It isn't the longest or most earth-shattering kiss we've shared, but the love we feel for one another is shared in that kiss and it perfectly sums up the ceremony. Maxon and I pull away and turn to face the applauding crowd. Then we turn back around to face the minister. Now comes the only part of today that I've been dreading.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we will now proceed with the coronation ceremony." The minister faces Maxon, "Your highness, if you would please step the side and allow your lovely bride the center of attention." The room chuckles a little and a warm smile covers Maxon's face. He places a chaste kiss on my hand and whispers "you got this" before stepping off to the side.

"America Singer Schreave, with this ceremony you will be tasked to bear the shared weight of the nation of Illéa on your shoulders. You will need to rule with a fair and just hand. You will be responsible for the lives and welfare of your people," the minister picks up an ornate orb placed on a small pillow to his right, "This orb represents the world that you are tasked to maintain. You must protect your soil from foreign threats and work with our allies to keep the piece. By accepting the orb you are accepting this responsibility," he then turns to his let and picks up the scepter. "This scepter represents your firm grip on our country. You will not cede your power to any other. You will rule this nation with your own will, and refuse to give in to outside forces. By accepting this scepter you are accepting this responsibility," another man steps up to the side of the minister holding the royal crown. Once the man has taken his place, the minister continues, "This crown is a reminder of the weight you must carry, and the pride you must maintain. As it is placed upon your head, may it remind you of the responsibilities and authority you carry. Now, America, please kneel."

I kneel down on the small pillow placed in front of me and bow my head slightly, as I practiced countless times before.

"I will now place upon you the crown, the scepter, and the orb."

I feel the weight of the crown as it settles atop my head. And I gently take the orb and scepter as they are handed to me.

"Now, America, please rise and take your seat in the throne you will rule from henceforth."

I gently stand up, conscious of the precious weight I carry on me head, and make a careful procession to the ornate chair behind the minister. I sit and face the audience. I see my mother and sister beaming with pride and excitement. I see Aspen looking at me with an amused smile, almost as if he can't believe I'm now his sovereign. Most of all, I see Maxon looking at me with a mix of awe, adoration, and pride; his gaze is so intense that I have to look away.

"America, as you sit upon your throne, do you accept the responsibilities duties as Queen of Illéa?"

"I do"

"And do you swear to protect the people, land, and pride of our nation with a careful and just hand?"

"I do"

"Then, I now pronounce you Queen of Illéa. Ladies and Gentlemen, pleas rise in the presence of your Queen, America Singer Schreave."

Everyone stands and together they repeat, "Long live Queen America."

I smile and stand as well. Maxon comes up to my side and together we walk out of the sanctuary as people bow and curtsy as we pass. As soon as the doors close behind me, servants help me remove the crown and take the orb and scepter from my hands. When everything is removed I heave a sigh of relief. Maxon takes my hand.

"Come on, let's get out of here," and together we head for the waiting car.

* * *

 **A/N: I really hope you guys liked that! I don't really know that much about royal coronations, so I just winged it…anyway I promise to update soon, so until next time!**

 **(Also if you like Divergent, I have another story titled After Divergent that is my interpretation of how the story should have gone. I haven't updated in a while, but I'm working on it, so please go check that out!)**


	2. The Wedding--Part II

**A/N: I really hope you guys are liking this story! I am surprised how many people have read it since it's been up. You guys are great! Anyway, here's the next chapter! I hope you like it!**

 **Again, the characters are not mine, and the passage in italics are Kierra Cass' words.**

* * *

 **From _The Heir_**

 _But I was stopped in my tracks by the sight behind me. Several large framed pictures covered the wall. There was one of Mom and Dad when they were my age, with him in his full suit and sash next to Mom in a cream-colored dress. I saw them on their wedding day, their faces covered in cake…_

* * *

Looking nervously at the church doors, I try to take a deep breath. Maxon squeezes my hand and gives me a quick peck on the cheek before nodding for the doors to be opened. The first thing that hits me is the roar. I can hear the crowd's excitement building as the doors open further. Among the noise I hear my name and Maxon's peppered in with other well-wishes. When the doors are fully open, and the crowd can see us fully, the crowd becomes impossibly louder.

Maxon and I make our way through the roped off path to our awaiting car, but not before we each stop a few times to thank people in the crowd. As much as I want to get away from the screaming masses, I knew this was important to the public, and to Maxon. To be honest, I don't mind it so much either. After greeting a few people, we get in the car and head back towards the palace.

"You look beautiful today, my dear," Maxon says as the car pulls away from the church.

"Why, thank you, your Royal Husbandness," I reply, giggling a little over the ridiculousness of the name,

He chuckles, "The title's required by law I'm afraid."

We both smile and remember that night. The night before everything went wrong; the night before both of our worlds flipped upside down. But today is not about being stuck in the past, it's about looking forward to the future.

"Hey," I say, taking hold of Maxon's hand, "I love you."

Maxon smiles and places his hand on my cheek; turning my face to his. For a moment he stares into my eyes before finally bringing his lips to mine. The kiss starts out slow and sweet, but eventually we are both gasping for breath. We break apart and Maxon leans his forehead against mine.

"I love you too," Maxon breathlessly replies, "more than you know."

We both sit there in that moment before the car stops. I look out the window and see that we are in fact back at the palace.

"Wait here," Maxon says before getting out of the car. I want to ask him why, but he shuts his door before he gets the chance. Shortly after that, he is at my door, opening it and offering me his hand.

"How gentlemanly of you," I quip with a small smile.

He smirks, "I've been known to be a gentleman from time to time."

Hand in hand we walk towards the doors, but Silvia somehow manages to get between us and the building.

"Your majesties, if you wouldn't mind heading towards the gardens, we are going to take pictures before the reception."

I groan, but follow Maxon as he pulls us towards the garden and our bench. That was actually Maxon's idea. About three months into planning, I was getting tired of all the small details. I still had to decide on the cake flavor, the napkin patterns, the bridesmaids dresses, where to take wedding photos, and countless other small details now that the big stuff had been figured out. One night I had had enough, I left my meeting with Silvia exhausted and frustrated. All of my ideas were getting shut down, and I was tired of arguing. That night I flopped onto bed beside Maxon as he was looking over some paperwork.

"Bad day?" he asked, setting his papers down and started rubbing my back.

"I'm so tired of this wedding already, can we just elope?" I asked, scooting closer to him and snuggling into his side. Just being next to him was already calming me down.

He chuckled, "No, I'm sorry. It's going to need to be more formal than that."

"Well can you at least solve some of my problems for me?"

Together we worked out almost all of the details, except for the photos.

"We could always take them on the stair case. That's where my parents took theirs." Maxon offered, but I shook my head.

"I want to take them somewhere unique to us, you know, somewhere where down the line we'll know that it had special meaning to us."

We both sat there and thought, and then Maxon started smiling.

"What?" I asked.

"What about our bench?" I smiled, I knew it would be perfect.

Now we are both here sitting on our bench as my family arrives, as well as the rest of the wedding party, and Maxon's aunt and her family. Because neither of Maxon's parents could be her for the day, she was the next best thing, and I could tell Maxon was happy to at least have a small part of his mom with him.

For an hour we are told how to pose and sit. We take every combination. Me and the bridesmaids, me and my family, Maxon and the groomsmen, Maxon and his family, Maxon and I, both of our families, and then some. Eventually Silvia comes out to save me. Everyone had settled into the Great Room, and it is time for the reception to start.

Before Maxon and I go in, I finally take off the heavy cape I had been wearing all day. Then I return to his side. We take hands and share a kiss before we hear the announcer welcome the King and Queen of Illéa into the room. As we enter, we are met with a room full of smiling people bowing. I feel like I will never get used to that, to people bowing my presence, and some part of me doesn't want myself to get used to it. I want to be reminded that I didn't simply get handed this role, I want to remember that it is a privilege to have this life.

After everything calms down, Maxon and I take the floor for our first dance.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Mrs. Schreave?" Maxon asks as we move across the floor.

I blush at the use of my new name, "As long as I have you by my side, I don't think it's possible for me to have a bad time." I reply simply.

Maxon smiles and bows his head to give me a kiss. When we break apart, I lay my head on his shoulder as we continue to dance. I see the flashes of cameras as photographers capture the moment, but I'm not focused on it. For once I am not aware of the crowds surrounding us, or the people at home watching their televisions. I am just aware of Maxon, and this moment, and how I never want to forget a second of today.

After our dance ends, the food is brought out and people start eating. Maxon and I sit down at the head table and begin to eat our meals, but I'm not very hungry. I don't eat very much, and I'm sure I will regret that later, but I am just too overwhelmed to eat. Maxon doesn't eat very much either, so we both get up and make our rounds of the room. We stop by every table to thank our guests for coming. When we get to the Italian table, Nicoletta immediately stands up and envelopes me in a tight hug.

"America, I am so happy for you! I told you it was going to be you."

I roll my eyes, "Yes, I know. Everyone else knew it was going to be me before I finally caught up." I nudge Maxon in the ribs, "I keep being reminded of that today."

Maxon smiles. "May I remind you, Mrs. Schreave, that my vows made you cry, so they must not have been too bad."

I laugh. "So modest."

Nicoletta chuckles too. "Well, I won't hold you up, this is a very large room," she pulls me into another hug. "I really am happy for you America." I give her one more squeeze before Maxon and I move on to another table.

A few tables later, we reach where all the selection girls are sitting. As we got closer to this table I could feel my anxiety rising. I know some of them will be genuinely happy for me, I know some of them will still hate my gates, but there are some, like Kriss, that I don't know how they'll react. As we walk up the girls immediately jump up, and I think that most of them are going to embrace Maxon, but instead, they huddle around me instead.

"America!" Kriss says right in my ear. I wait for her to start ranting, but instead she pulls me into a hug. "I'm so happy for you!"

I pull away and raise an eyebrow. "Really?"

She laughs. "Yes, of course I am. Really, America. We all knew-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You all knew before me. You all could all tell, and I was just late to the party."

"Well you really were," Elise said, speaking the loudest I'd ever heard her speak.

I look around at all the girls, and I see my friends. Girls who've all gone through the same thing, who've all had their hearts broken, and even though it's my fault they didn't get what they wanted, they still want to be my friend.

I smile. "Thank you guys, so much for coming today! All of you I mean it."

We all give a few more hugs, before they sit down. Kriss, however, walks up to Maxon.

"If you hurt her, we will all hurt you," Kriss says with a serious look, and behind her all the girls at the table give a similar menacing look.

Maxon pulls me closer beside him, "I assure you, I have no intent of letting her down."

After we finish visiting everyone, Maxon and I take the dance floor. For hours I dance with Maxon, Nicoletta, my friends and family. As the night draws to a close, it's time for Maxon and I to cut the cake. As we step up to the cake I become more hesitant. The cake is a work of art, it is covered in flowers and designs made of frosting.

"It's so beautiful," I say.

Maxon looks at me. "America, I promise there are plenty of pictures of it."

I roll my eyes. "Just an observation."

We both pick up the knife and cut into the bottom tier of the cake. We each take piece of the cake and Maxon goes to feed me mine first. I see the mischevious look in his eyes, and I know what he's going to try.

"Don't you dare," I warn, but it's too late.

He wipes the cake all over my face and I feel the frosting covering the whole bottom half of my face. Without skipping a beat, I pick my piece and return the favor. We're now both covered in cake and I see the flashes of the cameras around us, and I can't help but thinking about how great this picture must be. The two of us are supposed to be the picture of grace and authority, but this moment reveals how young we really are; reveals our true selves. This moment sums up how I want the rest of our lives to be. I want us to always find the moment of reality and youth amongst the hard life we are going to have. I want us to always remember how in love we are. And though this day is about to be over, I know it means the start of the rest of our lives together.

* * *

 **A/N: Wow that was a long one. I hope you guys still like it! I hope I'm doing the characters justice. As always don't be afraid to post. Tell what I could do better, or what you want to see more of. I would love to hear what you guys have to say!**

 **Until next time!**


	3. The Honeymoon--Part I

**A/N: Thank you guys so much for reading this! I know that some of you guys have read my other story too, and that makes me so happy! You guys are the best, so I'm posting this chapter today just for you!**

 **These characters are still Kiera Cass', but I don't have an excerpt for this chapter, so these are all my own words.**

* * *

After we cut our cake, Maxon and I go back to dancing, but slowly guests start to leave. Eventually Marlee comes up to me.

"Your Highness," she quips with a devious smile.

I roll my eyes. "Yes, Marlee?"

"I believe it is time for you to get ready to leave."

I look around at the room at all the people dancing and celebrating, and I don't want tonight to end. I know that I am stepping into a new future with Maxon, but from this point on, the weight of the world is on my shoulders too. Tonight exists in a bubble; Maxon and I don't have anything to worry about except each other, but tomorrow the rest of the world can reach us. I'm not ready to give up this escape.

"America," Marlee says, placing a hand on my arm, "I know how much you don't want it to end, believe me I felt the same way, but it's going to be ok. In fact it's going to get better, so come on, stop being mopey," she leans in and whispers in my ear, "besides, tonight is the best part."

I swat her arm. "Marlee!"

She giggles, "Come on, let's get you out of that gorgeous dress, and into something a little more practical."

I follow Marlee into a nearby room where Lucy, Mary, and Paige are waiting. They all curtsy when I enter the room.

"What have I told you about that?" I question.

Lucy shrugs, "You're going to have to get used to that _Your Highness._ Everyone will be doing that for you now."

I sigh in defeat, "Ok, let's just get this show on the road."

Lucy and Mary both help me take off my extravagant dress. After, Paige and Marlee put the dress away, while I slipped into a much simpler, white cocktail dress. Then Paige went to work taking all of the pins out of my hair. With one last pull, the rest of my hair fell down in soft curls.

"I think we can leave it just like that," Marlee said, "it looks perfect."

With that I was ready to go, but before I could even take a breath, Lucy pulled me into a tight hug.

"Lucy!" I said, taking a step back due to the force of her hug.

"I'm just going to miss you that's all," she takes a step away and wipes some tears from her face. "Today was just the last day I get to be your maid, and I don't know what I'm going to do with myself."

I take her hands in mine. "You are going to live your life, Lucy. And you're going to spend time with Aspen, and make sure he's okay for me and for you."

She smiles, "Don't worry, I'll take very good care of him."

"Not too much, I hope. He's a grown man, he should still be able to do some things on his own," I say with a chuckle.

She laughs too, and steps back. I move on to hug the rest of the girls. As I'm hugging Marlee, I hear a knock on the door.

"America? Are you almost ready? The car just arrived," Maxon says through the door.

"Don't keep him waiting. We'll see you again in a week," Marlee says, giving me one last hug.

I open the door and find Maxon waiting patiently on the other side. When he sees me step through the door a huge smile takes up his face.

"You look beautiful," he says.

I look down; blush taking over my cheeks, "Thank you."

He puts his arm around my waist. "Come on, we have a plane to catch."

As we walk towards the palace doors, I see the last of the guests gathered by the door. As we walk through them they through rice in the air and cheer us on. When we get outside the door, I see my family standing by the car. Before I can get to them, May runs up and throws her arms around me.

"Don't worry May, I'll be back before you know it," I say, placing a kiss in her hair.

She pulls back and lets out a little laugh. "I'm not worried about that, America! I'm just so happy for you. Don't worry I'll have plenty of people to keep me company."

I smile. May has become so grown up. In the blink of an eye, she has become so independent. She no longer needs me or mom to fix her problems or mend her wounds. She can take of herself. Part of me is sad to see her youth go, but I'm so proud of the young woman she's becoming. I know she's going to be a very unique person.

I watch her run off to Marlee, and I go up to my mom. "Where'd Kenna go?" I ask seeing the she and Gerad are the only two left.

Mom shrugs. "They had to get home, the sitter wasn't going to stay all night, and Kenna still had to feed Astra."

I give her a small smile. "Well tell her I said goodbye, and thanks for coming."

Mom pulls me into a hug. "Oh, America, we were all so glad to be here. I am so proud of you. I just knew it was going to be you," she pulls away and gives me teary smile. "Your father was so proud of you too, America. I know he wouldn't have missed this day for anything. I know he never said it, but he knew you were going to win. Not only because that boy is over the moon for you, but because you have so much passion for justice." She places her hand on my cheek, and a few tears of my own slip out.

"Oh, mom." I give her hug and then move over to Gerad. "Be good for mom, okay?"

He smiles, "I won't cause any problems."

I ruffle his hair and turn as I feel Maxon place his arm around my waist again.

"Are you ready to go, my dear?" He asks.

"Yes, I think so," I turn to him letting the name slide.

"You take care of my daughter, you understand? If anything happens to her…"

"Don't worry Mrs. Singer, you'll probably have to get in line behind more 33 other girls if I mess up."

She smiles, "I trust you, Maxon. Welcome to the family." She pulls Maxon into a hug, and I know how much this must mean to him. Having just lost his mom only a few short months ago, having a new one in his life must be nice.

"Okay mom, don't smother him," I remark.

She pulls away. "Alright, alright, you kids get on your way. I'll see you in a week."

Maxon takes my hand and together we get into the car.

When we get to the airport, the car does not drop us off at the general gate.

"Where are we going?" I ask "We just passed the gate."

"All in good time, America. You need to learn some patience."

The car pulls around, and a guard opens a gate that leads straight onto the tarmac. There a private plane awaits that has the royal seal painted on the side.

"A private plane?" I ask, getting excited.

"America, you didn't honestly think that the royal family rode on a plane with everyone else, did you?"

"No, I guess I just didn't think about it too much."

The car stops, and once again, Maxon gets out and comes around to open my door.

"After you, my dear." He says, helping me out of the car.

"You know, I'm only letting you get away with that name today," I tell him, shooting him a warning glance.

"Well then I better use it for all it's worth, my dear."

I swat at his arm as we approach the plane. The steps are out and I take Maxon's arm as we board. The plane is absolutely luxurious. It's like a mobile palace. The seats are huge and upholstered in a very expensive frabric. There are tables and televisions, and doors that lead to who knows where.

"Maxon, it's beautiful." I say somewhat breathless.

"I'm glad you like it, now come on let's take a seat so we are ready for take off."

We sit down and after a few minutes the plane starts moving. Before I know it, we are in the air, and the city of Angeles is growing smaller in the window. I try to watch the land the entire time, but eventually I fall asleep on Maxon's shoulder.

The next thing I know, Maxon is gently shaking my shoulder.

"America, we are here."

I sit up and look out the window, but we are no longer on the plane, I am in a car.

"How'd I get here?" I ask looking around.

"I carried you off the plane; you didn't even budge. You're a heavy sleeper when you want to be," he says through a laugh.

"So, where are we?"

"Come on, I'll show you."

He takes my hand and we get out of the car. Though, it is dark out, I can make out the silhouette of a massive house and I can see the light from the windows. I also hear the sound of crashing waves, and the further we walk, I notice the ground underneath me become more uneven and I assume it is sand.

When we come up to the door, Maxon swings me up into his arms.

"Maxon! What are you doing?"

"I am afraid it's tradition, my dear. I have to carry you over the threshold."

I smile, "Always the gentleman."

He carries me through the door and sets me down. The house is beautiful; it is everything I would expect a beach house to be and more. Opposite me there are several floor to ceiling windows that I assume offer a stunning view of the ocean. The room is open and airy and the color palette reminds me of a calm breezy day. To my right there is an open stair case, that I'm sure leads to another stunningly beautiful floor of the house.

"It's perfect," I say, "Now where exactly are we?"

"The island used to be called Puerto Rico, it hasn't really been given a new name. It's kept as a private island for the royal family, so an official name wasn't very necessary. Mom always referred to this place as the beach house. Come on, I'll show you the bedroom."

We walk down a hallway, and Maxon opens a door to reveal an enormous bedroom. The bed is huge and covered by a flowing white canopy. The whole room is straight out of a magazine.

I turn to Maxon and lay my head on his chest. "Thank you."

"For what?" He asks placing a kiss in my hair.

I look up at him. "For everything, for waiting for me, for asking me to marry you, for agreeing to marry me, for brining me here. Just…thank you for loving me."

"You don't have to thank me America, because I feel the same way. I feel so lucky that you chose me."

"I love you."

"I love you too." With that he leans down and kisses me, before picking me up and carrying me to the bed.

* * *

 **A/N: You kiddos know what happens next. I hope you like that chapter! And seriously, thanks for being the best readers ever! As always don't be afraid to share your ideas or thoughts!**


	4. The Honeymoon--Part II

**A/N: NEW CHAPTERRRRRRR! I've been working on this for a while, and let me just tell you guys I love all the ideas I have for this story. I started writing this because no one else was writing the fanfiction I wanted to read. Anyway I hope you like it. Also, so I can stop mentioning it, let's just assume that very italicized passage at the beginning is Kierra Cass'.**

* * *

 **From _The One_**

 _One of his arms he laced under my neck and the other gently wrapped around me._

 _I loved my bed at the palace. The pillows were like clouds, and the mattress cradled me into it. I was never too warm or too cold under my covers, and the feeling of my nightgown against my skin was almost as if I was wearing air._

 _But I'd never felt so settled as I did with Maxon's arms around me._

 _I woke up with the feeling of Maxon sliding an arm around me. Somewhere in the night, I ended up with my head on his chest, and the slow sound of his heartbeat was echoing in my ear._

 _Without a word, he kissed my hair and went to hold me closer. I couldn't believe this was happening. I was here with Maxon, together, waking up in my bed. This morning he would be giving me a ring…_

" _We could wake up like this every day," he mumbled._

 _I giggled. "You're reading my mind."_

* * *

I already knew waking up in Maxon's arms was one of the best things in the world, but waking up in my _husband's_ arms is so much better. I look up at his face and smile. His lips are slightly turned up at the corners, and it's probably the first time in a long time that he's slept peacefully. His hair is a mess and I can't help but think about how much better it looks that way; it makes him look his age. I curl further into his side and lay my head back onto his chest; listening to his even breathing. Soon, though I feel him tighten his grasp on me. I peek up at him and see him squinting his eyes in the morning sun.

"Good morning, your Royal Husbandness," I say with a giggle.

He gives me a tired smirk, "Good morning, my dear." He places a kiss in my hair and I let the name slide. He can have this week, but as soon as we are back, I'm putting an end to "my dear."

I roll on to my side, and prop up my head. "What are we going to do today?" I ask curious and eager to start exploring the island.

He smiles and pulls back towards him. "I thought we'd just stay here for a while…or all weekend," he says, but the end of his sentence is punctuated by his stomach growling.

I laugh. "Yeah, ok. I'll make food and then we can go do something." I get off the bed and take the sheets with me. I walk off to the bathroom to change, but not before I take one more look at Maxon.

"You know," Maxon quips "we might not need to keep paying your maids; that's the best dress you've ever worn."

I roll my eyes and stick out my tongue before I shut the bathroom door behind me. I take a passing look in the mirror and do a double take. My hair is a tangled mess, and because I never washed my face last night, there is smudged mascara under my eyes. Man, Maxon must really love me if he can call me beautiful when I look like this.

I throw off the sheets and get in the shower. After getting everything cleaned and back to normal, I hold my breath as I take a nervous glance into my suitcase.

As we had gotten closer to the wedding, I pulled my maids aside to talk to them about what to pack.

"Listen girls," I said, "the way I see it, the competition is over, so I don't need to dress as sexy anymore. I don't know where Maxon's taking me, but I just ask that the clothes are something I would be comfortable in. Besides, I don't think it's good for a queen to show too much skin anyway..."

I stopped talking and noticed that Paige and Mary were trying to hold back laughter.

"What?" I asked; wondering what about my speech was so amusing.

Mary spoke up first. "It's just that you've never really dressed 'sexy', America."

"Yeah, even though I haven't known you as long, I wouldn't have assumed that you would want to dress that way," Paige added.

"Don't worry, America, we'll take care of you," Mary assured me.

I had thought that was the end of the conversation until Marlee approached me a few days later.

"America, I just got done talking to Mary and Paige and they told me that you told them not to pack anything sexy for your honeymoon," Marlee accused as she walked into the Women's room.

I looked up from my work, confused as to why her tone was so surprised.

"Marlee, you know me. I don't want to dress like that. I just wanted to make sure that I didn't get there and find my suitcase full of clothes I'd be uncomfortable in," I explained.

She rolled her eyes. "That's fine, but this is your honeymoon, so you might want _something_ sexy for when you're in private," she says, giving me a knowing smile.

"Marlee-" I started to whine, but she cut me off.

"Don't worry, I already took care of it. You can thank me later." She gave me a little wink and walked out, and that was the last I heard about it.

Now looking at my suitcase, I feel so relieved. It is mostly filled with clothes that I would be comfortable in, I even notice a few pairs of shorts, but tucked away in a corner I notice some questionable lacey fabric. I quickly shove the lace aside and attempt to pick out what to wear. I eye the bathing suits and I hear Marlee in the back of my mind telling me that I only get to go on a honeymoon once. So I pick up a blue bikini. I quickly put it on and then slide some shorts and a tank-top over it.

I leave the bathroom and see that Maxon has fallen back to sleep. I smile at him and quietly shut the door behind me as I leave the room. This is good for him; he hardly ever sleeps at the palace.

As I walk to the kitchen, I stop to take in the view beyond the wall of windows. Because we got her so late last night, I didn't get to see the view. It is beautiful though. The beach is covered in white sand and the ocean is so blue that it almost looks fake. A few palm trees are spread across the sand and I notice a canopy set up just out of reach of the waves. I smile in the sunlight as I open the fridge to see it is packed with food. I start mindlessly making breakfast and I think of all the times I did this when I was living in Carolina. A part of me is sad that I have to give up this part of my prior life. I know Maxon would never argue if I occasionally wanted to make a meal, and I don't think the staff would object either, but I know that it won't be my place anymore. I won't be needed to make sure that meals get put on the table.

As I re-open the fridge to put everything back, the cool air suddenly makes me aware of the tears on my cheeks. I wipe them away with a small laugh. Oh, gosh, America, get a hold of yourself. Yes, I'll miss that part of my life, but a new chapter is here now and I am so excited to start it.

Just as I am putting all the food on plates, Maxon comes out of the bedroom showered and dressed.

"Good morning sleepy head," I tease.

He smiles and comes up behind me to wrap his arms around me. He places his head on my shoulder and kisses my neck. I let out small giggle when it starts to tickle. He pulls away and kisses me on the lips before going to sit down in front of a plate.

"This looks amazing, America," he says, as he scoops up a forkful of eggs.

I smile and sit beside him. "Thanks."

He takes my hand and continues to eat. When we finish the meal I put the plates in the sink and turn to him.

"So, what are we going to do today?" I ask, excited to start exploring the beach.

He smiles at my excitement. "Well, I want to just stay in bed all day, but I think you have other ideas. What do you want to do?"

I bite my lip and look out at the water. "I really want to go for a swim."

He stands up and holds out his hand. "So let's go."

We walk out the door into the beautiful sunny day. When we reach the canopy I take off my tank-top and shorts. I see Maxon's eyes get wide as he takes in the bikini I have on. I look at him with a small smile.

"America...you look amazing," Maxon says somewhat breathlessly.

I roll my eyes and grab his hand. "Come one." With that we run into the waves.

* * *

 **A/N: Yay! Another chapter! It took me like three weeks to find time to finally finish it! Also, for those of you who are reading my Divergent story, don't worry I won't end it with a cliffhanger, it's nowhere near done. I promise to post a new chapter soon! Until next time!**


	5. The Prologue (Sort Of)

**A/N: So, in the attempt to figure out a timeline for this story, I stumbled upon this amazing page...the Selection Wiki. Anyway, I found out that America would have celebrated her 18** **th** **birthday before she and Maxon got married.**

 ****THIS CHAPTER DOES NOT FIT INTO THE PREVIOUS TIMELINE** it is set before America and Maxon got married.**

 **Also, I got the book** _ **Happily Ever After**_ **which is the companion book to The Selection Series. It is amazing. It has some content that Kierra Cass hasn't released before as well as** _ **The Prince, The Guard, The Favorite, The Queen,**_ **and** _ **The One**_ **bonus epilogue. Anyway so some of the stuff in there is in here. Anyway enjoy this little fluff chapter!**

* * *

I don't realize what day it is until the phone rings. I pick it up and immediately hear May screaming in my ear.

"Happy Birthday, America!"

I look at the calendar on my desk just to check. It really is my birthday; I can't believe I forgot.

"What are you going to do today?" May asks. I can just see her bouncing in her seat with excitement.

"Ummmm...work," I say before moving the phone farther from my ear in preparation for the angry screeching.

Surprisingly there is no shrieking. "You mean you're not having a party?" May asks, sounding so defeated.

"Well, Maxon isn't here and I completely forgot until you called me, so no plans were made," I say trying to defend myself.

"Maxon isn't there for your birthday?" May asks, sounding angry at her future brother-in-law.

"He's in New Asia finishing up the documentation for the truce," I say.

"Well, maybe all of us can come see you tomorrow for a late celebration?"

I smile. "Yeah, I'd like that a lot."

After May and I finish talking, she passes me off to all the other members of my family. I even talk to baby Astra and get to hear all her cute little baby noises. When I finally hang up I just sit and stare at my desk.

I know that Maxon is gone for a good reason, and I don't really expect him to remember my birthday when I can't even do that much. Still, a part of me is hurt that he is off on some diplomatic trip instead of here with me. I am just about to burst into tears when Marlee walks in.

"Okay, America. Sylvia gave me pictures of all the different flower arrangements. You've picked a good time for flowers. May is one of the best months for..." She looks up from the stack of papers and takes in my expression. "What's wrong, America...oh my gosh, is Maxon okay?"

I look up at her. "Yes, Maxon is fine."

"Well then what's the problem?" She asks as she sets the stack of papers to the side.

"Did you know it's my birthday today?" I ask.

She looks down. "Mary told me, but I figured since I hadn't heard anything from you that it wasn't a very big deal."

"No, it's not a big deal; I mean I even forgot," I say with a small laugh. "Is this what it's going to be like, Marlee? Am I always going to be too busy to look at the date? Is Maxon always going to be gone? Honestly, I'm not sure I can handle it if every day is like today, or if every month is like the last on we've had."

This past month had been pretty terrible. The happiness surrounding our engagement was short lived; at least inside the palace it was. The public couldn't get enough of it; they were already releasing polls and articles about what dress I would wear and what food would be served. Inside these walls though, the past month has been a different story. We had to bury Maxon's parents, and every other victim from the attacks. Although the public mourned too, it wasn't for as long and it didn't cut as deep. I tried to distract Maxon by dragging him to wedding planning meetings, but that only got me more frustrated because he didn't participate how I wanted him too. After the meetings, I would pick up the phone to call my dad, only to realize that I couldn't. This whole month has been emotionally draining, and I'm only just now realizing that I might not be cut out to handle it.

Marlee takes my hands in hers and pulls me from my thoughts.

"America, you're going to be just fine. This month has been one bad reminder after another, and both you and Maxon have gone through a lot. Give it time; I guarantee you that after the wedding, things won't be so gloomy," she finishes with a wink.

I smile. "Thanks."

"No problem. Now, what are we going to do about your birthday?"

"Marlee, really I don't-" I attempt to object, but she cuts me off.

"No, every girl needs to celebrate her birthday. I have just the plan. I'll gather all the girls together and we'll have a movie night in the garden."

"In the garden?"

"A change of scenery and some fresh air will do you good," she explains. "Be ready by seven and meet us there!" She says over her shoulder as she leaves the room.

I roll my eyes after her, but I can't help the smile that takes over my face. I'm glad to have a friend like Marlee.

After I'm done working, I quickly go to my room to get ready for my "party". Marlee didn't really give me a dress code, but I figure it's a movie night so casual clothes are okay. Besides, it's my birthday anyway. I put on a soft cotton shirt and some soft jeans before making my way to the garden. When I reach the doors, I notice someone standing outside.

"Maxon?!"

He smiles and opens his arms. I run and launch myself into them. HE picks me up and twirls me around before firmly placing his lips on mine. When he sets me down, he pulls away, but leaves his forehead against mine.

"What are you doing back so early? You weren't supposed to be back for two more days," I say confused, but glad he's back all the same.

"You honestly think I was going to leave my fiancé alone on her birthday?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

I giggle. "Honestly, I had forgotten it was my own birthday, and with everything going on, I thought you had too."

He pulls me closer for another short kiss. "America, I would never forget something as important as that."

I pull away and look around the garden for everyone else, but besides Maxon and me, it's empty.

"Where is everyone?" I ask, but then I get a look at what Maxon is wearing. He too is in a t-shirt and jeans. I had never seen him so casual. "You planned this, didn't you?" I ask, as the final clues lock into place.

He nods. "Now come one or the food will get cold."

He takes my hand and leads me over to a picnic that he has set up near our bench. I sit down on the blanket with him and we just talk. We talk about his trip, and my family, and our friends. I begin to talk about the wedding, and specifically the floral arrangements, when I notice a weird expression take over his face.

"Maxon? What's wrong," I ask, worried.

He looks up at me. "America, I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For not being more present during the last month. I've been trying to deal with my parents' loss on my own, and I realized that I have left you alone to deal with everything else, including your own loss. While I was in New Asia, I realized that I need you, America, to get through my day. You help me in so many ways just by being present, and I can't believe I wasted a month separating myself from you. I am so sorry."

I put a hand on his cheek and turns his head to place a kiss on my palm. "It's okay, Maxon. I haven't handled it well either, but I think we'll be alright."

He smiles at me. "I _know_ we'll be alright," he leans in and kisses me, but pulls away just as I melt into the kiss. "Oh, and I realized that I never want to go on a trip without you again. All I do is think about you, and I'm sure the New Asians were tired of me talking about you all the time."

"Maxon, that's great, but I wasn't done kissing you yet."

HE chuckles and leans in again, but this time he pulls away before our lips even touch.

"I forgot, I have something for you," he says as he reaches into his pocket.

I huff out and annoyed breath. "Can't it wait just a _little_ bit longer."

"No, my dear, it can't."

I roll my eyes at the pet name, but give him my attention. He holds out a small box.

"This is for you."

I take it and open it, and I can't believe my eyes. Laying amongst the tissues paper is the bird necklace that my father gave to me.

"Where'd you find this?" I ask as I feel the tears fill my eyes.

He takes the necklace out of the box and moves to put it around my neck. "When they were cleaning up the place they cleaned out my father's office. This was in one of his private safes; along with some other valuables. It really was a lucky find, and I thought you might want to have it back."

I look down at the necklace, and it feels so good to have a piece of my dad back.

"Maxon, you have no idea how much this means to me; thank you."

He simply smiles and finally leans in to kiss me, and I couldn't have asked for a better birthday.

* * *

 **A/N: I've seen the necklace thing done in a few other fanfictions and I just loved the idea. So, I figured this might be a good place to tie it in. And for my reader Deeptha13; there you go: a not so happy moment in the Maxerica relationship. Don't worry though, there will be more friction later! Until next time!**


	6. The Arguement

**A/N: I'm baaaaaaack. I know, I know, you guys have been waiting for me to update for a while, and I always give you the same excuse. Work/school/life has been insanely busy and stressful lately. I still love this story and these characters and I promise I'm not done with them, but you're just going to have to be patient with me. I've honestly been working on this chapter for months; really since I updated the last chapter. I'm really excited about it, and I hope you guys will stick with me!**

* * *

 **From _The One_ Bonus Epilogue**

" _Was your first year hard? Lots of people say it is, but you two seemed to do so well," Aspen said..._

 _Maxon sighed. "Hard to say. I don't think it was the marriage part that was hard as much as the duties. It was a lot to ask her to step into the role of a queen when she'd barely gotten used to the idea of being a princess."_

" _Did you fight?"_

" _Are you kidding? That's what we're best at!" He and Aspen shared a laugh. I wanted to be offended, but it was true–we were good at arguing._

* * *

It has been two months since Maxon and I got married, and we are still living in that honey moon phase. We are both busier now, but we still make time to be together; even while we work. I'm supposed to have my own office, but I only worked in there one day before realizing how much I hated sitting in a dark office, all by myself, and practically on the other side of the palace from my husband. So, Maxon had my desk moved into his office, and mine is currently being used my music space.

Today, however, I am currently sitting in the office by myself and trying to figure out how to make the education budget bigger. Usually when I hit a wall I just turn to Maxon and ask his opinion of how I should move on, but he got dragged into a long meeting this morning, and has yet to return.

Just as I'm about to push everything aside in frustration, Marlee bursts through the door.

"What's going on?" I ask, mildly annoyed by her entrance. I don't mind Marlee coming in, especially when I have to work by myself, but protocol (and manners) calls for a knock and introduction before entering a room.

Marlee doesn't answer me, instead she picks up the remote and turns on the television in the corner of the room. I am about to protest to the distraction when I notice the destruction on the screen. I get up and walk across the room to stand next to her. We both stand in silence for a minute; watching the chaos on the screen.

"How long has this been going on?" I ask, finally breaking the silence.

"Almost a week," she responds quietly.

"Why am I just now seeing this?"

"It hasn't been this bad until now, so of course all the news outlets are only now interested."

"But I'm the queen, shouldn't I be ahead of the news cycle?"

"I don't know," Marlee replies, shrugging one shoulder.

"Are there any fatalities?" I ask, not really sure if I want the answer.

Marlee shrugs again. "I don't know all of the specifics; I only just saw this before running up here to show you."

I watch the muted screen as our own citizens tear their province and each other apart.

"Does Maxon know?" I ask.

Marlee looks at me with a confused look. "I tried to get to him and let him know, but they told me that that's what the meeting is about; I thought he would have mentioned it to you."

I am struck by her words. This morning Maxon came into the office and handed me the education budget. Before I could even say good morning, Stavros came in and pulled Maxon away. Why wasn't I told about this? Doesn't this concern me too? Or do they all think that I'm only capable of handling one budget report?

"I need to go," I say to Marlee, and I leave the office before she can protest.

I quickly make my way down the hall and right into a guard. We both fall back and before I have time to gather my surroundings, he's helping me up.

"Are you all right your majesty?" I hear Aspen ask as he puts me back on my feet.

I smooth down my skirt and make sure everything is back in its place. "I'm fine officer Leger, thank you."

He smiles. "You were never he most graceful person, were you America?"

I roll my eyes. A few weeks after I was officially engaged to Maxon, I was really aggravated with everyone being so formal with me, specifically Aspen. Considering how close we were in the past, he was the last person I expected to be so uptight with me. So I insisted that he could only address me as Queen once, and then he had to use my name. That way he wouldn't break protocol, and I wouldn't have to listen to a thousand 'your majesty's' in one conversation with a good friend. I gave the same rules to Marlee, Carter, and my maids; I just know them all too well for such formal greetings.

"Maybe not, but I'm kind of in a rush today," I retort, beginning to make my way back down the hall.

Aspen walked right alongside of me. "And where, might I ask, are you rushing off to so quickly."

"Evidently Maxon doesn't trust me or believe in me enough to let me know when our country is in peril, so I'm going to give him a piece of my mind."

Aspen stopped me and move me to face him. "Are you talking about the riots in the provinces?"

"Yes, apparently I'm the last one to find out; which is ridiculous considering I'm the _queen_ ," I say, shoving his hands off my arms.

He sighs and takes a small step back. "America, maybe he has a good reason for keeping that from you. You know he loves you, and I doubt he would ever keep important secrets from you."

"But-"

"Let me finish," he says putting a hand over my mouth. "Plus, that man worships the ground you walk on, I don't think he doubts you for one minute."

I huff out an annoyed breath. "Why do you always have to be so level-headed? You make it so hard for me to stay angry at my husband."

He chuckles, "Come on, bring it in. One hug, and then you're more than welcome to go on an angry rampage."

"You only want to hug me because you know that will kill my resolve."

"Exactly," he says wrapping his arms around me.

I feel my stress leave, of course Aspen's right, Maxon wouldn't keep something so big from me without a good reason. It feels good to have friend who knows me well enough to calm me down when I go crazy.

Just as I am ready to pull myself away, I hear footsteps behind me.

"Officer Leger," I hear Maxon call out.

Aspen steps away from me and comes to attention. "Your majesty."

"You are dismissed; I need to speak to my wife in private," Maxon orders.

"Yes, your majesty," he says to Maxon, and then turns to me. "Your majesty," he says with a bow.

"Officer Leger," I reply. Aspen then makes his way back to his post.

I turn to Maxon with my arms crossed. "We need to talk," I say.

He nods. "Come with me."

He takes my hand, and we step into an empty conference room. As soon as the door is shut, I pull my hand from his.

"Why did you keep the riots from me?" I start.

He looks at me and pushes his hair back before answering, "America, it wasn't my decision. There are things that I'm told, and I have to keep them to myself. For a while no one knew but me and a few other advisors."

"But I'm the queen, and your wife, Maxon. I don't care about security clearances, you should have told me. It's not like I'm going to leak sensitive information to the public. Don't you trust me?"

"Well, considering I just found you in the arms of another man, your ex-boyfriend no less, should I trust you?"

I stand there for a minute, dumb-struck. "I'm not even going to address that," I say turning away from him.

He pulls me back to face him. "Come on, America. I feel like whenever we are not together, I see you with him. You guys are always talking and laughing. Am I not enough for you? Have you still not made up your mind?"

"Are you kidding me? He's with Lucy now; they love each other! Maxon, I married you; I promised myself to _you_. How could you think I would take all that back?"

Maxon rolls his eyes. "I'm always competing with him, and it's not like this is the first time you've lied to me about something. How can I trust you now?"

"Okay, so you kept the safety of our _country_ to yourself because you're jealous of Aspen, my _friend_."

"No, America, the meeting is beside the point. I'm talking about-"

"NO! You don't get to finish. If you're mad at me about Aspen, fine. Act like a three year old Maxon, and be jealous of the boy who is in love with someone else; be jealous of one of my only friends in the palace. But don't you dare, for a second, put the safety of your country at risk because of a petty feud. I am the _queen_ ; I have a right to know when something is wrong. Now, if you'll excuse me, I am quite finished with this ridiculous conversation."

I walk out of the room, and make sure he's not following me before running down the hall. My vision becomes blurry as tears fill my eyes, but I know this floor like the back of my hand by now. I quickly make my way back to the room, and close the door behind me. It's only after I've been sitting on the floor for a while that I realize I took myself back to Maxon's room and not my own.

I get up and head to the door that joins with the queen's suite, but before I turn the handle, I catch a glimpse of a photo in Maxon's collage on the wall. It's one I haven't seen before. It's from very early on in the Selection; all of the girls are in the dining room, and Maxon and the royal family are sitting in their spot further away. I am sitting at the table, looking at Maxon, with a very playful smile on my face. Then I notice Maxon, he's tugging his ear.

I don't know how or when Maxon got this photo; I didn't even know it was taken. As I look at it, and all the other candid shots Maxon has of us on the wall, my sobs become stronger. I knew during the Selection that being with Aspen was a risk, and not a very smart one, but I didn't think it would still be held over me now. How did I force the one person in my life who's supposed to love and trust me above all else to doubt me?

I don't know how long I sat on the floor before falling asleep. I've been exhausted for days, and between the fight and the uncontrollable crying, sleep finally took over. The next thing I know, I'm waking up in Maxon's bed. I reach over to find Maxon, but that half of the bed is empty. I look around the room to find the rest of it empty as well. One of the maids probably got a guard to put me in bed.

I get up and make my way back to my own suite; there's no point waiting in here for my angry husband to come back. As I step into my room, I notice my bed isn't empty, and I let out a little chuckle. Maxon is asleep on top of my sheets, still in his work clothes, and snoring very loudly. As mad as I am about our fight, I can't be mad at him like this; he looks like a normal teenager, not a young king with the world on his shoulders. He may be having doubts about our relationship, but moments like this remind me why I love him. So I pull back the sheets and crawl into bed. We can work out our problems in the morning, but for now I'm going to enjoy this moment of peace.

* * *

I wake up in the morning to the feeling of Maxon's arms around me. I turn over to face him, and snuggle closer into his chest.

"I don't want to fight," I say into shirt.

"Me neither," he responds placing a kiss in my hair.

I pull back a little and look him in the face. "But I also don't want you to think that I'm not in this." I sit all the way up face him. "Maxon, I am in this for the long haul. When I stood in front of everyone and promised to love you forever, I meant it. If you want to be jealous, that's fine; I'll just have to prove it to you that I love only you."

He smiles and sits up as well. "America, I don't doubt you for a minute, I doubt myself. I come with a lot of baggage and a big responsibility. I know what it's like to be forced to do things you don't want to do, and I don't want to put too much on your plate. That's why I didn't tell you about the riots. I know that they are something that will come with dissolving the castes, and to be honest, these weren't as bad as they could have been. I just didn't want to overwhelm you."

"Maxon, I came into this with my eyes wide open. I knew about your scars before anyone else, I was there with you through the funerals and the memorials, and I knew what was waiting for me at the end of the competition. I chose this life and I chose you. Please don't keep things from me. I want to help you, you can't handle everything on your own."

Maxon smiles and pulls me in for a kiss. I melt into it; relieved that we are no longer fighting. He moves us both and lays on top of me.

"Now," he says pulling away for moment, "what was that you were saying about proving your love to me?"

I lightly smack him on the chest. "Don't push it."

He chuckles and returns his lips to mine, and for now, we're both back on the same side.

* * *

 **A/N: Okay! New chapter! I hope everyone liked it; I knew it was time for a serious argument between these two because they can't agree for too long. A new chapter is coming soon, so hang in there. Happy reading!**


	7. The Sister

**A/N: I know, I know, it's been #fiveever since I posted. Well here's a nice long chapter for your troubles! As always, the portion in italics is from Kiera Cass' novels, and I'm going to start including (and go back and fix previous chapters) what books the passages come from. I feel like I should also mention that this story has some major *SPOILERS* (although if you've gotten this far, you may have already figured that out. Anyway, happy reading!**

 **P.S. I put this chapter in America's POV, and I feel like most of you would have wanted to see it from Maxon's. I may post a separate story with Maxon's POV later, but I just felt like this story needs to be told by America. She's the one who inspired Kiera, and she's honestly a pretty amazing character, so I kept this from her POV.**

* * *

 **From** _ **The Crown**_

 _He swallowed. "Here's the thing, though. Illegitimate children of a royal family member are not allowed to live."_

" _What? Why?"_

" _I think because they might cause a threat to the royal line. Civil war or political unrest does no one any good. Even now, look at the trouble Marid has made. So in the past we eliminated those threats as soon as they were discovered." He said all this coldly, disconnected in a way._

" _So did you kill her?"_

 _He smiled to himself. "No. I was enchanted with her the moment I laid eyes on her. She was just a child, and she had no idea who her father was, it wasn't her fault she'd been born half royal. So I took her away from her mother, kept her near me, and have been protecting her ever since."_

 _He finally risked meeting my eye._

" _Lady Brice?" I asked._

" _Lady Brice."_

* * *

It has been a week since the riots, and the country has become quieter. Maxon decided to postpone the next wave of caste eliminations until he's sure the country is more stable. For now I have very little to actually do. Maxon's birthday is just around the corner, so I have some party planning, but that's almost all that's added to my usual tasks this week.

As I look over the weekly budget report, Maxon walks back into the office.

"How was your meeting, love?" I ask without looking from the list of numbers on my desk. Maxon doesn't answer, but sits down across from my desk.

"Maxon?" I ask, looking up from my work. His expression breaks my heart. He looks so heartbroken that I get up and sit next to him. I take his hand in mine and try again.

"Maxon, what's wrong?"

He takes a deep shaky breath, then he looks up at me. I can see the emotion in his eyes. He gives me a half-hearted smile and strokes my hair back behind my ear; I lean into his palm.

"America, there's something I need to tell you."

My mind begins running a million miles a minute, and I brace myself for what he's about to tell me. He runs a nervous hand through his hair, stands, and begins to pace the room. After a few minutes of his nervous activity, I lose my cool.

"Maxon, for God's sake, just tell me what's going on! I can't read your mind here!"

"I found her!" he blurts out.

I don't know what to say and I'm confused as to who "her" is.

"Maxon, what are you talking about?"

"My sister! I found my sister!"

"What?" I ask, certain that I heard him wrong.

He sits back down and takes my hand. "America, a while ago I found out that I have a half-sister."

"Maxon..."

He lets out a breath, as if he's relived to finally get this off his chest. "My dad, the classy guy that he was, had a mistress. A year or so ago she turned up and told me that I have a sister. I couldn't prove it for the longest time," his voice gets tighter and he stops talking for a moment. I place my hand on his and he continues. "After his death, I searched his office for anything he had...that's when I found your necklace," he says, looking fondly at the song bird pendant. "I didn't find anything until today."

He takes another deep breath before he speaks again. "It turns out that my father and his advisers knew all about her for all this time. It's royal protocol to keep tabs on all illegitimate children. Historically, the rule has been to eliminate them," he explains; his voice breaks towards the end of his sentence. "But America, it's not her fault, why should she have to pay that price?"

Maxon finally breaks down, and I just hold onto him through it all. I have a thousand questions, but those have to wait for now. When Maxon's sobs subside, I finally ask a question.

"What's her name?"

Maxon gives a sad chuckle. "Sorry, I should have mentioned that. Her name is Brice, Brice Mannor."

I smile. "Brice." I stand up and hold out my hand to Maxon.

"What?" he asks, obviously confused.

"Well, do you want to find her or not?"

He gives me a small smile and takes my hand.

* * *

After a half hour of coaxing an advisor to give us the address, we were finally in the car, on our way ti meet Brice.

"Maxon," I begin reluctantly. "Love, I have some questions that I need you to answer."

He lifts my hand to his lips. "Ask away."

"How old is she?"

"According to the file that the palace has, she's eight."

I nod, and pause before I ask the next question. "Maxon, what's going to happen to her?"

He lets out a breath and runs a hand through his hair. "If I have anything to say about it, she'll be fine, but most of the advisors don't agree." I gently run my hand over his back; attempting to offer him some sort of comfort.

"America, thank you for being her. I don't think I could have done this with anybody else." I know his statement isn't just referring to my willingness to cancel my plans today.

Eventually we pull up to a simple house in a quiet suburb. We get out and approach the front door. Maxon hesitantly knocks. A woman answers the door and Maxon looks confused.

"Good afternoon, your majesties," the woman says dropping into a deep curtsy.

"Good afternoon," Maxon responds. "We're looking for a Brice Mannor, does she reside here?"

The woman looks puzzled. "May I ask what the royal family wants with my eight year old niece?"

Maxon and I are both at a loss for words. We didn't think of any sort of excuse.

"I would love to tell you all about it, but I'm afraid a full explanation will have to wait. Trust me, though, we have good reasons, and we'd just like to meet her and maybe talk with you about her..."

Rebecca continues to look skeptical, but lets us inside anyway.

"Sarah!" she calls out. A young girl, no older than ten, comes bouncing down the stairs.

"Yes, mom?" she asks sweetly.

"Go get your cousin please?"

The little girl nods and runs back upstairs.

"I'm so sorry, we haven't been formally introduced," I say extending my hand.

"America Schreave," I say. The woman drops into another curtsy, but I protest. "Please, a handshake is more than enough."

She gives a timid smile and takes my extended hand. "Of course, I'm so sorry your majesty. I'm Rebecca Davis."

"Nice to meet you, Rebecca."

Rebecca shares a similar handshake with Maxon and then directs to a small sitting room off to the side of the entryway. As we sit down, I look around the small house, and I'm immediately bombarded with memories of my home growing up.

"Mommy, she won't come down," the little girl whines as she stomps back down the stairs; lacking the pep she had only a few moments ago. Rebecca heaves a sigh and turns back to Maxon and me.

"I was afraid of that...she's been keeping to herself lately. I'll go get her; I'll be right back." She makes her way upstairs with her daughter not far behind. I turn to Maxon to see how he's handling this.

"Maxon?" I ask taking his hand.

"Why is she here, America? Shouldn't she be with her mother? Not that I particularly like the woman, but shouldn't she be taking care of her own daughter?"

I sit there, unable to give him the answers he's looking for. After a few more minutes, Rebecca comes back downstairs with a new little girl glues to her hip.

"Your majesties, this is my niece, Brice Mannor."

The little girl comes forward to give us a quick, clumsy curtsy before backing up into her aunt's legs. I get up and crouch down to her height.

"Hello, Brice. My name's America."

"I know who you are," she responds in a quiet voice. "You're the queen."

I let out a small chuckle. "Yes I am. You're very smart."

"Thank you," she says, attempting to back up farther. Then her eyes shift to something beside me, and I feel Maxon kneel next to me.

"I'm Maxon," he says, and offers her his hand. Brice tentatively gives it a small shake. "It's nice to meet you, Brice," Maxon says, and I can hear the emotion in his voice.

The girl stares at Maxon a moment more before she turns back to her aunt. Rebecca leans down and Brice whispers in her ear.

"Of course," Rebecca responds. "but stay down here, okay?" Brice nods and scampers off into an adjacent room.

"If you don't mid, she's going to be playing in the next room...she's very shy around new people, especially recently."

"Why is she here?" Maxon asks suddenly as if he couldn't contain the question any longer.

"Excuse me?" Rebecca asks.

"I think what my husband would like to know is why Brice is not with her mother." I say, attempting to smooth over the tension.

Rebecca takes a deep breath and sits back down in her previous seat. Maxon and I resume our places from before as well.

"Brice's mother, my sister, stopped by the house about a month ago. Evidently she met some guy whose caste was tempting enough to drop everything for. The only problem was that he didn't want Brice in the picture. So my sister, being the loving mother that she is, left Brice with me and took off...' Rebecca lets out a deep breath and twists the wedding ring on her finger. "I wish I could say that's out of character for my sister, but it's not. I still remember eight years ago when she told me that she was pregnant. She wouldn't say who the father was, but I suppose that's because she didn't know..." Rebecca trails off and pulls a stack of papers from a nearby table into her lap. "About a week ago these showed up. Brice's mother either wants me to take full custody of Brice, or ship her back to her mother so she can go to boarding school there."

Rebecca's voice breaks and I instinctively reach out and cover her hand with my own. At first she looks shocked that I'm touching her, but she says thank you all the same.

"I love my niece, but I'm barely managing to take care of my own daughter. I lost my husband five years ago, and it hasn't been easy since. I had to get a second job, and I barely have time to see Sarah during the week. Now I'm just supposed to add another child to my care? I just can't do it!"

Rebecca begins sobbing and I pull her into my arms. This poor woman has had no one to help her with this, and it kills me that she's so alone in this. I look at Maxon over her shaking shoulder, and I can tell by his expression that he's deep in thought. Suddenly he gets up from the couch and begins pacing the small room. Rebecca pulls away and begins to put herself back together.

"Please forgive me your majesty. I didn't mean to—"

I hold up my hand to stop her. "Please, don't apologize. I was the one who pulled you over here in the first place; so if anyone should be apologizing, it should be me for invading your personal space."

She gives me a timid smile. "It was a nice gesture, thank you."

I nod my head in acceptance and turn back to look at Maxon. He takes a seat once more.

"I hate to ask this, but is there somewhere that my wife and I can talk privately?" he asks.

She gets up and smooths out her skirt. "Please, stay here. I'll go check on Brice and make us some tea."

"Thank you," Maxon says. We wait until she leaves the room before either of us speaks.

"We should take Brice with us," Maxon starts.

"Maxon..." I sigh.

"No, America, look, we can't let her go back to that woman. I mean, boarding school? She'll never have a family, and she'll probably grow up resentful. How can a girl survive without a mother?"

"And how do you plan to just take her away from this, Maxon? You have to get approval from the advisors, and find some sort of excuse to give her aunt. Where would you plan on keeping her, anyway? The palace is no home for her right now."

"Are you saying that we can't take care of her; that _I_ can't take care of her?"

"Yes!" I blurt out, and we both sit there, stunned for a moment at what I just said.

"America, we are taking her with us, and that's final." Maxon says through clenched teeth.

"No, Maxon, you do not get to make this decision for the both of us. If you want to help provide for the aunt in some way so that she can care for Brice; that's great. If you want to watch over her and make sure she gets the best education at school near her mother; that's fine too. But neither of us are ready to be parents right now, and this little girl deserves better."

"America, she can't stay here, and she can't go back to her mother; those just aren't options. We are taking her with us."

"Maxon, this is not your decision; you can't just shut out my opinion. I—"

"She. Is. Coming. With. Us." Maxon grinds out.

I sit there unwilling to fight anymore. "Fine, Maxon, have your way, but don't think this is the end of it. If you want to take this girl home with us, you think of something to tell her aunts and the advisors. I will not fight this battle for you."

Maxon opens his mouth to say something else, but Rebecca returns with a tray of tea. Maxon and I both graciously take the cup offered us, and Rebecca sits down.

"Rebecca," Maxon starts, and I brace myself for what's about to come. "Rebecca, your niece...she's my half-sister."

"I beg your pardon?" Rebeca asks, clearly as stunned as I am at the words that just came out of Maxon's mouth. I thought he would come up with some clever excuse.

"Your sister had an affair with my father. I've known about the affair for a while, and I've known about Brice for eight years. When I finally found proof of who she was and where she was, I had to meet her. Rebecca, I can't let her be sent back to her mother. I know how cruel that woman can be, and I won't allow Brice to live like that, not when I can do something about it." Maxon takes a deep breath. "Rebecca, I'd like to take Brice with us."

Rebecca looks astonished. "Well, I-I don't know what to say. It would make sense. My sister and I grew up in Angeles, and she always had this fascination with the royal family, and the late King. She always said that she would be queen one day...I guess I just can't believe it."

Maxon gives a small nod. "Believe me, it took a while for me to wrap my mind around the idea of having a sibling. Rebecca, would you be willing to turn your nice over to us?"

Rebecca wrings her hands. "Well of course it's not my decision, that's up to my sister. I doubt she'll have and qualms. If I had any sort of means to provide for Brice, I would say that I would take her, but I know this is not what's best for her. I also don't know if palace life is what's best for her either, but of all her options...yes, I would be willing to turn her over to you; with my sister's permission of course."

Maxon nods. "Well, why don't we get your sister on the phone then?"

After an hour long phone conversation, Maxon had finally worked out the details. The custody form that had been sent to Rebecca just needed to have a few changes made, and we were officially Brice's guardians. It took a lot of persuasion and money to keep Brice's mother quiet about the whole thing, but with what she got out of the deal, she and her new boyfriend could lead a very comfortable life. All it took was another hour and a half for everything to be filled out, Brice to be packed up, and have the car ready to go.

"Promise me I'll get to see her and visit," Rebecca pleaded as we walked out the door.

"Of course," I say and give her a warm smile.

Rebecca gives one more hug to Brice, and makes her promise to behave before the three of us get into the car.

* * *

That evening Maxon puts Brice in a spare room near ours, and I get on the phone with my mother.

"Mom," I say, anxious about what I'm going to ask her.

"America, what's wrong? It's very late for a phone call."

"I know, but I wanted to speak to Kenna, is she there?"

"Of course, one moment dear."

After I finish talking to Kenna, I hang up the phone and Maxon walks into the office.

"Who was that?" he asks?

"Kenna. I asked her if they would be willing to take Brice in. I figure it's close enough to us that we can still interact with her, but far enough away from the craziness of palace life."

"America, you can't just send her away from us!"

"No, Maxon, you do not get to boss me around. You made the decision to bring her here without me and without a plan. You want me on board? This is what I'm comfortable with. We are not ready to be parents, and she does not deserve to grow up in the stressful environment that is our lives right now. Kenna and James are already parents, and they are more than willing to give Brice everything she needs. You will not argue me on this, Maxon. You aren't thinking clearly right now, but this is what's best for her."

"Fine." He says staring at the wall.

"We can take her over there tomorrow. God knows how much needs to be explained to that little girl and to my family, but for now, let's just focus on getting her settled." I walk towards the door and make my way out of the office, but I turn to say one last thing to Maxon. "I'll be sleeping in my own room tonight. I think we both need some space right now." And with that, I shut the door.

* * *

 **A/N: I told you it was a nice long chapter; it's almost like a real book chapter. Okay, I know the end feels a little rushed or maybe a little too easy, but I like it so...yeah. I hope you guys love it! Also thanks to everyone who comments and follows; it really means a lot! Keep on telling me what you guys think! Until next time!**


	8. The Tree House

**A/N: Here's another chapter! I'm going to try and get as many in now before I get too busy again. I really love you guys and I just want to say thank you for all of your dedication to the story! I really love this story, and I'm so glad that there are so many of you out there who love it too. Enjoy this chapter guys, and as always, don't be afraid to comment and tell me what you guys want to see next; I love your input! Happy Reading!**

 **Quick side note: The passage from Kiera's novel that I'm using in this chapter is one of my absolute favorites and I'll probably use it a lot, so get used to it! And, I also put a link to a dress that I pictured for America for this chapter in the end note below!**

* * *

 **From** _ **The One**_

 _I want everything with you, America. I want the holidays and the birthdays, the busy seasons and lazy weekends. I want peanut butter fingerprints on my desk. I want inside jokes and fights and everything. I want a life with you._

* * *

I stand in the middle of a very busy Great Room. I futilely attempt to direct the various people on where to place flowers, tables, and decorations; all while Brice clings to skirt. My family is in the palace for Maxon's birthday, and Brice has grown fond of following me around; I guess she feels a little overwhelmed by all the loud, Singer family members who usually fill her life.

I turn and see Maxon enter the room; no doubt he's looking for Brice. We haven't talked very much since she came back with us. I'm still sleeping in my own room, and neither of us is willing to be the first one to cave.

"You're not supposed to see this," I say, with a half-hearted effort. I honestly don't feel in the mood for a party right now, but we need to keep up appearances; especially since this is his first birthday since we've been married.

Maxon picks Brice up and begins to walk away. "Don't worry, I didn't see anything. We're going to the garden," he says over his shoulder, and then he exits the room.

Part of me is disappointed to have Brice gone. Even though I had been set on not having her around the palace, her presence in these recent days has been comforting. With Maxon shutting me out, it's been nice to have a little shadow to keep me company.

One of the maids comes up and asks me about the table settings, and I'm pulled into the craziness of party planning once more.

* * *

It's almost time for the party to start, and Mary is just finishing up my hair.

"America?" she asks. She's finally getting over not calling me 'Your Majesty'. "Are you alright?"

She adds the last pin to my hair, and my shoulders slump. I turn to face her and give her a weak smile. "No, I'm not." I stand up and brush down my skirt. "But that will just have to do for now."

I move to stand in front of my full length mirror, and Mary and Paige stand next to me; waiting for my reaction. Tonight I'm dressed in a green, off-the-shoulder, ball gown. We chose green to match Maxon's birthstone, which I can see gleaming in my engagement ring.

"Once again ladies, you've done an amazing job!" I say, as I head for the door. "I'll see you tonight!" I call over my shoulder as I head for the stairs. As I round the corner to the staircase, I see Maxon standing at the bottom of the stairs. He has his back turned to me, and he's looking at the ground as he shifts his weight between his feet. I take a deep breath, brace myself for an evening of forced smiles, and make my way down the staircase.

Maxon turns at the sound of my shoes clicking against the stone staircase. He looks me up and down, and he lets a small smile break through his mask before he can remember to stay mad at me.

When I reach the bottom stair, he holds out his arm for me. I take it, and we walk over to the double doors to wait to make our entrance.

"Where's Brice?" I ask as we wait. After some arguing, Maxon and I had agreed that Brice could not be at the party tonight. Her presence would just prompt too many unanswerable questions.

"Don't worry. She's with Lucy," he answers. Lucy was no longer working in the palace, but because Aspen and her other friends still are, she is currently living in a smaller house in walking distance of the palace. She's opened her own seamstress shop and continues to make beautiful dresses. When she's not working she's here or at the house with my family, spending time with Brice. Kenna and mom both get their hands full sometimes or need a break, so Lucy will go over to babysit from time to time. She absolutely loves Brice.

"That's good. At least she'll have some fun with Lucy tonight," I say back, but Maxon doesn't respond. I resign myself to stand in silence and wait for the doors to open.

After a few more moments, the doors open, we are announced to the crowd, and we make our way to the dance floor to start the evening. Both of us have on our smiles, but I can tell Maxon's is forced, and I'm sure he can see that mine is as well. After a few turns, I can't take the stiffness anymore.

"Maxon, I'm sorry that we're fighting on your birthday. I know I've been distant, but—"

"America, not now," he interrupts. "Not here."

I resign to dance in silence. We finish the dance, and Maxon invites the other couples to the floor. Just as I turn to Maxon to apologize once more, May comes up to me and cuts me off.

"Your majesty," she says, sarcastically, and drops into a deep curtsy.

Maxon uses the distraction to walk through the crowd to the other side of the room.

"Where's Maxon?" May asks as she stands up straight again.

"He, uh, he had some guests to greet," I say, still searching for him.

"Probably his aunt," May rattles on. "I saw her admiring the cake earlier."

I give up my efforts to find Maxon, and give my full attention to May. I haven't spoken to her in a while.

"So, how are you?" I ask, May. "It's been a while since we caught up."

"I know," she says rolling her eyes. "The last time I talked to you was when you dropped Brice off."

I know May means her words to be more of an observation than an accusation, but it still stings to know that I dumped a kid on my family and haven't talked to them since.

"I know," I say, pulling her into a hug. "I've just been so busy, and things between Maxon and I are so tense—"

"What?" May asks, pushing out of my arms. "When did that happen? Last I heard, you guys were still crazy in love."

Over May's head I see Maxon making his way back towards me.

"May, I promise I will tell you about everything later, but let it go for now."

She opens her mouth to protest, but holds her tongue when she sees Maxon take a place next to me.

"Hello, May," Maxon says with a warm smile.

"Maxon," she says back with a small curtsy before giving him a hug.

"You know the awkward curtsy isn't necessary. We can just skip to the hug in the future," Maxon says as she pulls away.

"Yeah, but this is a public and formal event. How rude would I look if I was caught on camera being informal with our sovereign king?" she asks with an air of sarcasm. Though she's trying to play it off as a joke, it's obvious that she takes public opinion seriously. May has moved into her role in the public eye with such grace, probably more than me; it's like she was suited for this life.

Maxon chuckles, "Good point."

"Well, I hate to break up this party, but I promised mom that I would dance with Gerad at least once tonight." With that, May leaves, and it's just Maxon and me.

"Did you get a chance to see your aunt?" I ask.

"Yeah, I did. She's doing better than the last time we talked. I'm sure she'll find you before the night is over."

I nod and look around the room hoping there is something or someone to start a conversation about, but I come up empty.

"America, can we just drop the anger for tonight?" Maxon starts, suddenly, and he takes my hand. "Can we, please, just pretend we're not fighting and enjoy the party?"

I really want to say yes. I would love nothing more than to have my loving, supportive husband back. But I can't say yes; the stubborn voice in my head points out that ignoring it won't solve anything. In fact putting this off longer might make it worse. I know that as soon as we choose to ignore this, we might not come back to it until neither of us can stand it any longer. So, the stubborn girl get a hold of my words first.

"Maxon, what would happen after tonight? We pretend for the evening that we like each other, and that everything is normal, but eventually we'll have to talk about the hard stuff. The longer we put that off the worse it gets." Maxon doesn't say anything, but he drops my hand. "Maxon, I love you, but I can't just drop this when I know it's not over." After another empty pause, I give up, and walk away.

* * *

I spend the rest of the party keeping my distance from Maxon. The only times we really stand together is for the toast, the cutting of the cake, and to say good night to our guests. Once the last guest has gone home or upstairs to their guest room, I turn to Maxon. We haven't had a moment all night to talk, and I feel bad for cutting him off earlier, but I really want to talk to him. I hesitantly open my mouth to start what will surely be an argument, but Maxon cuts me off before I get the chance.

"I'm going to bed," he says, already walking towards the stairs.

"Maxon, I thought we were going to talk about this!"

"About what, America?" He asks, pivoting to face me.

"About this thing between us that caused us to sleep in separate beds, work in separate offices, and basically ignore each other for weeks! I thought we were going to talk about how it's only been a few months, and our marriage is already crumbling!"

"America, aren't you tired? I am. I don't want to talk about it right now. I just don't have the energy to keep fighting with you." And then I' m watching him walk away.

I stand there for a few more minutes; lost. I don't know what to do anymore; it's really hard to want this job and this life and this cage when the one thing that makes it so wonderful is suddenly gone. It's not until Marlee walks by, that I finally move.

I grab her hand and direct her back towards the great room. Unlike me, she's had time to change, and I'm sure she was planning on going to bed, but I need my friend.

"America, what are we doing?" she asks as she tries to keep up with me.

I don't answer. Instead, I tell all the staff in the great room to go to bed. They had already cleaned up most of the mess, and the rest can wait until tomorrow. Before they could leave with all of the food, I grab a plate of snacks, and a few bottles of champagne.

"Sit," I say to Marlee. We both take a seat, and an hour later we are both drunk, giggling messes.

"Did you know Maxon hates me?" I ask with slurred speech, and probably in a volume that's much too loud. "My marriage is probably over. I mean, I don't think he'll divorce me, but we'll probably live the rest of our private lives living on opposite sides of this god-forsaken cage." I grab the champagne bottle from Marlee, but I frown when I realize it's empty.

"Here," Marlee says, handing me another bottle. "Maybe you can move into a room near me when your marriage finally falls apart," she says, stealing the bottle back.

"Yeah, and maybe I could actually leave this place—oh, my gosh!" I shout and shake Marlee by the shoulders. "Maybe I can get someone to take us to my tree house!" I stand up and yank Marlee to her feet with me. "Come on, Marlee, I want to show you the tree house!"

After a lot of wandering around (the palace is really hard to navigate when you're drunk), we finally find our way to his door, and thanks to sloppy knock on my part, Aspen answers the door.

"Aspen!" I yell out, and Marlee shushes me. "Oh, sorry. _Aspen!_ " I whisper-yell. "We need a favor."

"America, are you drunk?" he asks, groggily, obviously ready to go to bed.

I wave off his question. "Aspen, we need you to take us to the tree house!"

"Your what?"

"You know, my tree house. You've been there!" I turn and tap Marlee on the shoulder. "We used to sneak into the tree house and make out," I tell her.

"You and me?" she asks, clearly confused.

"No," I say, laughing. "Me and Aspen! That's another reason Maxon doesn't love me! He was going to marry Kriss!" I barely get all the words out before I start laughing harder.

"America, you need to go to bed," Aspen interrupts.

"As your Queen, I order you to take me to the tree house, and if you say no, I'll just ask another guard because I haven't kissed them, so they'll still listen to me."

Aspen rolls his eyes. "Fine, give me two minutes." He goes back into his room and I stand in the hall with Marlee; both of us giggling at nothing.

Aspen's door opens again. "Alright, let's go."

* * *

After living in the palace for this long, I finally got to make my own personal use of the palace's private jet. I sit across from Marlee and Aspen sits toward the back, talking on the phone with Lucy.

"Hey, remember when we first met? It was on a plane!" I say to Marlee.

She doesn't say anything back, she just looks out the window. I do too, that is until I fall asleep. Sometime later, we finally arrive on a tarmac. A car waits there to take us back to my old house. My family still hasn't sold it. I think mom is reluctant to get rid of it because dad's studio is there. Kota decided to turn the rights over to mom; he already has a studio space, and he clearly didn't want anything to do with the house.

"Here it is!" I yell as we pull into the drive way. As soon as the car stops, I grab Marlee and take her to the back yard. "There's the tree house!"

We both climb up and sit there for a while talking and giggling. Aspen comes over and stands beneath the tree.

"America, how long are you going to be here? It might be better if we go in the house!"

"No, come up here, Aspen! We used to sleep up here all the time! Come on!"

Aspen looks around and signals two other guards to stand close by, then he comes up the ladder.

"It's a lot smaller than I remember," he says, as he squeezes in.

"I think you're just bigger," I say, poking him in the stomach.

"Alright, that's enough. America, Maxon is right behind us."

"What?"

"I called him from the tarmac. I told him where we were going, and that he should probably follow. He'll probably be here in a few minutes."

"Aspen, he doesn't want to see me or talk to me. Why can't I do things on my own?"

"America, you're obviously going through something, so I called your husband. What's wrong with that?"

"HE'S WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH, ASPEN!" I burst out. "Don't you get that? It's us! We're not getting along, and I just needed some space." Then the tears start. "No, not space. What I really need is my dad, and the days when my biggest worry was how to sneak out of the house at night. I want my family back," then I really start sobbing. Marlee holds me, and Aspen just sits there; speechless. Eventually I hear one of the guards call up to Aspen, and he leaves.

"America," Marlee says, gently shaking me. "America, I think Maxon is here. He's going to come up, so I'm going to get down okay?"

I nod, and watch as she climbs down the ladder. Eventually I see Maxon's blonde hair come into view, and then suddenly he's sitting in the tree house with me. I never would have imagined that we would sit together in this space. This was the place for me and Aspen, and I don't think Maxon would like that if he knew, but part of me is glad that he gets to see a glimpse of my past life. I look at Maxon's face, and brace for the fight that's about to happen.

"America," he says his voice breaking.

"Will you just hold me, please?" I ask, still crying. He nods, and I crawl into his lap. He gently runs his hand through my hair, and waits for the tears to subside.

I laugh a little bit. "Remember when you said you didn't know what to do with crying girls?" I ask.

He chuckles. "Yes, I do."

"Well, you're much better at handling it now." We both share a small laugh, before I sit up and wipe away the tears.

"Maxon, I'm—"

"America, stop. I don't want you to apologize to me anymore. We were both being too stubborn." He takes a moment to brush a strand of hair behind my ear. "America, I love you, and I know this can't have been easy. I've known about Brice for a while, and I've had time to process and plan. I tried to force all of that on you, without giving you the same time to process."

"Maxon, it's not that I'm mad about Brice. I was just scared. I'm not ready to be a mom, yet, and even though she wouldn't be our child, we'd be like parents for a while..." I trail off. "Really, though, I think I just miss my family. It's been just you and me in that giant palace for months now, and even though I love you, I miss my loud, crazy family. Our house was packed, and always too tight, but it was filled with the people I love. I miss them Maxon...especially my dad." Tears start to fall again, but Maxon wipes them away.

"I miss my family too," he says with a small smile. "How about we have your family come stay in the palace for a while? We have tons of space, and I would love to have the Singer clan making some noise around that place."

I laugh. "I would like that too." We both sit in contented silence for a bit.

"Maxon?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you to, my dearest."

I smile at the term of endearment. "Will you take me home?"

His smile gets wider. "Of course."

He offers me his hand, and helps me to the ladder, and we both leave my child hood hide out behind.

* * *

 **A/N: Okay, this chapter might be my favorite so far. I actually got kind of teary writing that last part. This didn't end up going where I planned it to go, but isn't that how writing typically goes? Anyway, I put the link in my profile becaus I can't put it here, so look for it there! Also, if it doesn't work let me know, and I'll figure out another way for you guys to see it. Have a lovely week; until next time!**


	9. The Singers

**A/N: I'M BACK! Wow, if you're still with me, I just want you to know how awesome you are, seriously. You guys stick with the story even though I don't keep a regular writing schedule (Despite a previous promise, I'm ashamed to say that I haven't posted anything for this story since October). In my defense, I've been pretty busy with my creative writing assignments at school and attempting to do too much all at once. But, I'm taking a little step back at school, so hopefully my writing schedule will get a little better now.**

 _***SPECIAL-CRAZY-WRITING-PROMISE***_ **  
I have been toying with the idea of starting a weekly publishing deadline. That's right; you read it correctly. If I can just 5 more of you guys to follow, fave, OR review my story, I will** _PUBLISH ONE NEW CHAPTER EVERY WEEK! _**Wouldn't that be incredible? The nice thing about sitting on this story for a long time is that I have a lot of material planned. So, like up this story! Tell your friends; spread the word, and I will start churning out some fluffy-as-hell Maxerica for you guys! GO NOW!**

* * *

The weeks after the "tree-house incident" have been about as pleasant as my morning following it. Which is to say that they've been only slightly better than the worst hangover I've ever had in my life. Though things between Maxon and I are mostly patched up, the rest of the country didn't seem to get the memo. As soon as we got back, Maxon was off to put out fires in some of the more distant provinces. Though I wanted to go with him, everyone agreed that we should focus on pressing matters now and do a public tour of the provinces once things have calmed down. So, I was left here to hold down the fort.

So far it hasn't that bad. Aside from the riots and the general tension among the provinces, there have only been small fires for me to put out. I thought general lack of work and improved amount of free time would make me feel better, but it just gives me more time to sit, lonely in this overly-big palace and miss my husband. Occasionally, Marlee will come by and attempt to distract me with conversation or little activities, but she has her own life and her own husband to spend time with.

Today has been the slowest one yet. I woke up and got dressed only to receive a message that there was nothing on my plate today. I had a free day. When Maxon is here, that is the best news in the world, but this morning it meant that after breakfast, I spent an hour and a half in the ladies' parlor staring at a wall, trying to figure out what to do. Which is what led me to aimlessly walk around the palace...an activity I've done a lot lately.

When I first arrived in this cold, stone building, I'd wanted nothing more than to get out and enjoy the fresh air that was such a contrast to the stuffy confines of this fortress. But lately, I'd been curious about the mysteries behind each of the doors and hallways in this place. Unlucky for me, the one person who knew all the secret places wasn't around. So far, I hadn't found anything of significance: a couple of hidden stairwells that took me to rooms I was already well aware of and some simple service hallways.

As I round a new corner, I'm certain that I'll find some new room or hallway that will lead to some unexplored place, but I let out a defeated groan when I discover that it's only taken me full circle to the place where I started this afternoon. I look in another direction at what would be the next part of my so-far dull exploration of the palace, but am thrown off my task by a guard approaching from the opposite direction.

"Your highness, we've been looking for you," he huffed as he came to a stop in front of me with a slight bow. "You have visitors."

I smooth down my skirts and give him a curt nod. "Alright, I'll be down right away, thank you."

He bows his head and returns the way he came. After a short pause, I follow after him and leisurely make my way to the entrance hall. I'm intrigued by the idea of visitors. I wasn't told this morning that anyone was expected, so this must have been a surprise to the staff as well. As I make my way down the main staircase, I feel my step become a little more energetic at the prospect of having people around the palace once more, even if it is brief. But as I round the corner, I stop in my tracks; surprised to see the group before me.

"Mom!" I exclaim and rush into her embrace.

She pulls me tight against her chest and rocks me slightly. I can feel her chuckle resounding against me. "It's good to see you, too, sweetheart."

I pull away from her and notice the rest of my family (minus Kota, who never seems to have the time for non-public events such as this) standing impatiently to the side. I make my way through the line of Singers and end with shy little Brice desperately cling to Kenna's side, but eyeing me expectantly as well. I kneel down to her level and open my arms wide, and with a wide smile on her face, she throws herself into my hug. I chuckle slightly and hold tight to her hand as I stand back up.

"What are all of you doing here?" I ask as Brice lets go of my hand and wraps herself around my leg.

"Maxon called a few days ago, and asked if we'd like to stay here for a while," May chimes in. "Where is he?"

I deflate a little at the reminder of his absence. "Haven't you heard? He's been off on a tour of the provinces, attempting to settle some of the discontent. He won't be back until..." I trail off as I notice my sister's devilish grin. She's staring at something over my shoulder and I feel Brice squirming slightly at my side and looking behind me. Turning over my shoulder I only get out "May what are you—" before I see him standing there.

"Maxon!" I exclaim and rush to him, a now ecstatic Brice follows not far behind. When I finally reach him I practically leap into his embrace and he pulls me into his arms with the most genuine laugh I've heard from him in a while.

"Hello, my dear," he says into my hair before pulling away slightly to place a sweet kiss on my lips. He then notices the eight-year-old girl attempting to shove her way into the hug as well. Maxon chuckles and bends down to pick her up and swing her into a hug. When he sets her back down, the rest of the family has joined our small group.

"I'm so glad you're all here!" I say, bouncing slightly with excitement. "You have no idea how lonely it's been the past few weeks."

"Believe me, we know," Kenna speaks up. "You're not the only one Marlee talks to."

I roll my eyes and stick my tongue out at my sister, but I can't keep the smile off my face. It feels so good to have my family near me again.

* * *

"I forgot how loud my family is," I groan into Maxon's chest. It's 7am on a Saturday and Gerad and Brice are already chasing each other up and down the echoing halls outside our door.

I feel Maxon's chest as it shakes with his bemused laughter. "You're the one who wanted them here, love."

I roll my eyes and prop my head up on my elbow, staring down into his face. "Yeah, but...I didn't remember how loud they were."

He laughs again, but doesn't add anything. With a sigh, I give him a quick kiss, before stealing the sheets from the bed, wrapping them around myself and walking into my room to get ready.

On lazy weekends like this one, I typically give my maids time off. They more than earn it. At first I had a lot of argument from Mary, but I was eventually able to bribe by promising to let her at least lay out some outfits ahead of time. As I walk into my closet I see the simple, cropped jeans and flowing, printed tank top that she's laid out for me. I eagerly slip into the denim pants and the shirt before slipping on some simple flats and pulling my hair up into a sloppy bun. No doubt Paige would be disappointed that I didn't attempt something a little more polished, but I was eager to get back to my husband.

After putting on a tiny bit of makeup, I walk back into Maxon's room. Much to my delight, I've caught my husband mid-dress. He's wearing some low hanging jeans, but has neglected to put on a shirt yet. I walk up behind him, wrap my arms around his naked chest, and place a kiss into his shoulder.

"This is a good look for you," I whisper in his ear.

He turns and pulls me into his arms with a smirk. "This is what does it for you, huh?"

I bite lip and nod. "Oh yeah, babe, this is all it takes."

"Babe?" he questions lifting an eyebrow.

"Yeah, what do you think? You get to call me 'dear', so I want 'babe'."

He mulls it over for a moment before giving me quick kiss. "I like it."

I kiss him again before he pulls away and throws a t-shirt over his head. I frown at the absence of his chest. It has come to be my favorite pillow, and I've seen too little of it lately. Maxon chuckles at my frown brushes his hand against my cheek. "Don't worry, love, you'll see it again tonight. I promise." He winks at me and walks out the door. I wait a moment for my blush to subside before following him toward the cacophony of Singer voices.

The rest of the day is spent lounging around the palace with my family. We spend most of the morning inside, but pack up and head to the gardens for an afternoon picnic. Brice and Gerad continue to chase after each other, now utilizing the trees and shrubs for cover, May and Kenna sit on a blanket with Astra, and mom and Maxon are locked in conversation. To my surprise, James approaches me and taps me on the shoulder.

"Do you think we could step away for a moment and talk?" he asks politely.

I nod and lead him to a nearby bench that is partially hidden by a small shrub.

"What's going on?" I ask, slightly concerned. James and I don't typically talk, and his tone seemed to hint that something might be wrong.

"Kenna has been having some health issues lately and she just went to the doctor about a week ago..." he takes a pause and fidgets in his seat a little bit. I immediately have a million questions, but I bite my tongue and wait on him. "He said that she has a slight heart problem, not unlike your father's. And he's worried about the amount of stress in her life right now."

He gives me an awkward glance and wipes his hands nervously on his legs before continuing again. "You know, with trying to care for Astra. Raising a new born is already so hard. The when you add in—"

"Brice," I interject, sensing where this conversation is going. He gives me a small nod and looks down at his shoes. "You want her to stay here."

James nods again, and looks up at me with pleading eyes. "It's not that we don't love her, because we do, but Kenna needs as little stress as possible right now. Taking care of two children at once is already a little much for her. I'm asking you because she didn't want to. You know how she is; you can't be a Singer without a stubborn streak, I suppose."

I laugh a little bit and nod. Though the thought of Brice coming to stay here may have scare me off a couple months ago, now I couldn't imagine parting with her again. "James, of course she can come stay here. I don't want to put Kenna at risk any more than you do." James nods, but still looks tense. "There's something else, isn't there?"

He lets out a breath. "I think we have to move. The house we're in now is beautiful, but we need our space...and a little more quiet."

"Oh, James, of course, whatever you need. In fact, let us get the house for you, okay? Our gift. You are already going to have so much to worry about. You just pick the place, and we'll take care of the rest."

"Well, actually, we were thinking of moving into your old house. We'll have to fix it up a little bit, but for now, it's big enough for the three of us, and that way it stays in the family."

My eyes prick with tears as he says this. "Well...I'm sad that you'll be moving so far away, but I'm so happy that you'll stay in that house. When do you leave?"

"Before the end of the month. We haven't really started packing yet, but I don't imagine it will take us too much longer."

I nod and take his hand. "Well, if there's anything at all that you need our help with, you know you have it."

We both wipe the tears from our faces and make our way back to our family.

* * *

As I crawl into bed with Maxon, I tell him about the conversation I had with James earlier today.

"Do they need anything from us? What can we do to help?"

I shrug. "He says they're fine for now, but I told him not to hesitate to ask."

"And Brice? She'll be coming here?"

I nod. "I think so...I mean we can't leave her with my mom, that's not really fair on her, and she has nowhere else to go. Besides, she is your sister after all, it's only right that she lives here too."

Maxon pulls me into his chest and runs his fingers through my hair. "How are you doing with all of this?"

"Honestly, I'm more worried for Kenna than I am about Brice moving in."

"Really?" Maxon asks, turning his head to watch my reaction.

"Yeah, she's become such a part of our lives. I love when she comes to visit and I always hate it when she leaves. It feels right that she's going to stay here. But Maxon," I feel my throat closing up and tears pricking behind my eyes, "I'm so scared. After losing my dad the way I did, and then finding out that Kenna might have the same thing. I don't want her to die. And what if I have it too?"

Maxon pulls me close as the flood gates break loose. I sob into his chest as he continues to stroke my hair and place kisses on my head. When the sobs subside, he lifts my chin so I'm looking at his face.

"Kenna is going to be fine, and so are you. I almost lost you once, and I'll be damned if I lose you again." And with that he crashes his lips onto mine.

* * *

 **A/N: I love these characters so much! No quote this time because I couldn't really think of one that fit this chapter. If you guys have any ideas or a passage from the book you want to see me work with, comment it! Thanks for reading!**


	10. The Move

**A/N: Okay, I've said this a bunch of times, but I just want you guys to know that you are the best! You guys keep commenting and following this story, and that is awesome. So, as I promised (and in celebration of making it to** _ **10 CHAPTERS!**_ **), I will be publishing a new chapter for this story every weekend. I hope you keep sharing all your thoughts and feelings and hang in there with me because I have a lot more coming your way. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Maxon, let's go! We're going to be late!" I call out to my husband. The sound of my anxious, tapping foot resounds off the stone floors and bare walls. I've been waiting on him for the past 10 minutes, and we were supposed to leave 20 minutes ago.

"I'm coming, dear, I just need to finish this really quick," he responds.

I peek my head into the room that will become Brice's. Maxon finishes hanging the last picture and takes a step back to get a good look at his handiwork.

"Babe, that looks fine. Now can we go, please?"

He lets out a satisfied sigh and turns to face me. "Alright, let's go."

I race ahead of him to the waiting car outside the front doors. I slide through the open door and into my seat. Maxon is close behind, and we are finally on the way to my family's house.

"We are going to be so late. Kenna's going to be stressing, and mom's going to be over-cleaning again, and James, well he's just gonna have a fit. I can't believe that—"

Maxon put a finger to my mouth and then replaced it with a quick kiss. "You need to calm down. Everything will be fine; the world doesn't revolve around us, dearest."

I roll my eyes. "I know it doesn't, but the Singers are very punctual people."

"Well, I'm sure they can excuse the King and Queen for being a little late."

I let out a laugh. "I don't think we can use that card anymore. Last time mom gave me a big long speech about the importance of humility."

Maxon opened his mouth to protest, but decided against it. A smart move on his part because I was in no mood to argue today. He's been learning better about when is not a good time to pick a fight. While we may be the best at arguing, there's a time and place, and the car ride on the way to my sister's goodbye celebration is not one of them.

We finally pull up to the house, and I'm surprised that no one runs up to the car to greet us as usual. When we walk inside, I see why. Mom is chasing after Gerad and Brice who've evidently discovered the roll of bubble wrap and are currently unrolling it all over the house. Kenna is rocking a screaming Astra, as James attempts to relieve as much of her stress as possible, which only seems to be adding to the problem. May is the only one not involved and she stands near us watching the chaos unfold.

"Hey you guys," she says without looking away from the scene before us.

"What's up, May?" Maxon asks, giving her a playful nudge.

She shrugs and finally turns to face us. "It's a pretty typical Saturday, what's up with you guys?"

I smile and pull her into a hug. "It's good to see you May." I pull away and look around the room again. "Alright, I'm going in." I grab Maxon's hand, and together we walk into the middle of the pandemonium.

About an hour later, everyone is calmed down and we've loaded the last box onto the truck. Mom's placed some light refreshments out and the room is filled with polite conversation. Maxon is caught in a conversation with Brice and Gerad, so I walk over to Kenna.

"How are you feeling?" I ask her cautiously.

She rolls her eyes. "You sound just like James. He probably asks me that question about ten times a day."

We both look over to her husband who is currently holding a squirming Astra. James doesn't see his daughter's tiny, flailing arm aimed right for his face before it hits him square in the nose. We both laugh as he attempts to shift her while also attend to his face.

"So, he's been pretty helpful?" I ask sarcastically.

Kenna chuckles. "Yeah, you could say that," she pauses for a minute, and when she speaks again, her tone is more serious. "He's been so worried, you know? I mean, I get it; it's a scary thing. After what happened with dad and all the stress that comes with this new life...it's been a lot."

I'm suddenly overwhelmed with guilt. Going into this process, I was certain that any advancement would only be a good thing for my family, but Kenna had a point. This new life isn't all rainbows and sunshine. It's a lot of work to keep up a good public appearance, and even though I was the one with the crown, my family had to shoulder a lot of the burden as well.

Kenna must have seen the regret on my face, because she quickly amended her statement. "America, this isn't on you. You found love, and that is a wonderful thing. I could never fault you for that. You deserve this life, and this has been a really great thing for all of us. I just think that trying to live in the middle of it is a little much for James and me right now."

I nod and pull her into a tight hug. "I love you, Kenna. I'm sad you're moving, but I know this is what's best," we pull apart for a minute and both wipe the tears away, "You're going back home! That's so exciting, and I can't wait to hear all the stories about Astra's adventures in our childhood home. Just keep in touch, okay?" Kenna nods and pulls me into another hug. "And say hi to the treehouse for me, okay?" We both laugh and pull apart once more.

I feel a pair of strong arms wrap around my waist, and I turn slightly to see my husband standing behind me with a warm smile.

"Are you guys ready?" he asks Kenna.

She laughs. "I was about to ask you guys the same thing. Are you sure you're ready to take that on?" She asks, motioning to Brice who is currently wrapping Gerad in the bubble wrap that was left on the roll. We both chuckle, and I lean a little more into Maxon's chest.

"Oh, I'm sure we're drastically unprepared," Maxon answers, "but we're both really excited to have someone else around to liven up the place. It'll be nice to have her around to chase."

Kenna gives me a knowing look and I remember the conversation we'd had last week. She'd come to visit me at the palace and had brought Brice and Astra along as well. We were all sitting in the Women's room when Maxon came by to take Brice to see something in the garden. When the door closed, Kenna gave me an amused smile.

"What?" I'd asked, a little wary of where she was about to go with this.

"Are you guys trying to have kids?"

I spit out my tea, and sputtered for a few seconds before I could speak again. "What?! Where'd you get that idea?"

She shrugged, "It's just, you guys practically jumped at the chance to have Brice in the house, and the way that Maxon is with her. It just seems like you guys are trying get some practice in or something."

I rearrange my skirt and set my tea down before I choke on it again. "We are not trying to have kids. We're both too wrapped up in other things right now, and having kids would just add too much stress, especially with Brice living here now. We both need more time with just us, and we need to figure out how Brice fits in without the pressure of adding our own kids to the mix." I throw out excuse after excuse, but Kenna's smile just gets wider.

"Look, there will never be a perfect time to have kids, and I totally understand that you guys don't want one right now...but I'm just saying, maybe you should start thinking about it."

That was the last we'd talked about it that day. I quickly changed the topic and we got wrapped up in a new conversation. Clearly, though, Kenna hadn't forgotten it.

"Shouldn't you guys get going?" I ask before she can say anything.

Kenna looks at her watch and lets out a defeated sigh. "Yeah, if we want to get there ahead of the first van, we need to get to the airport."

We all gather around them and give them hugs, and kisses, and goodbyes before they pile into the car and pull down the drive way. And just like that, a part of my family is gone.

* * *

Maxon and I spend another hour or so at the house, but it's clear that Brice is about to drop. Maxon picks her up and carries her to the car as I grab the last of her bags.

"We'll give you a call tomorrow and let you know how she's settling in. Are you guys still coming by next week?" My mom nods in response. I quickly give May, Gerad, and mom and hug before hurrying after the new little family of my own.

By the time we get back to the palace, Brice is completely asleep. Maxon lifts her out of the car, and we take her up to her new room. I change her into a pair of pajamas, and miraculously, she stays asleep through all of it. Maxon tucks her under the blanket and we quietly leave the room.

As we crawl into bed, I remember Kenna's question again.

"Do you think we're ready for kids?" I ask Maxon as he gets settled.

"What?" he asks, clearly blindsided by the question.

"Don't worry, I'm not pregnant or anything. It's just something Kenna was talking about last week. She just pointed out that taking Brice in is a big step, and that maybe we're more ready than we think for our own kids."

Maxon pulls me into his chest and plays with a strand of my hair as he thinks it over. "I don't think it's the right time," he finally answers. "I mean, you know I want a family with you, and if it were to start right now, I'd be more than thrilled," he gives me another cautious glance, but I shake my head to reassure him that nothing's happening any time soon.

He sits up a little more so he can look down at me. "I'm not done enjoying our time as just us. With Brice here now, we're going to have less time together anyway. I think we'd be able to handle anything, but we should wait. There's no rush to have a family right now."

I smile up at him and pull his lips down to mine. "I agree," I say against his lips, "just us for now."

* * *

 **A/N: I hope you guys liked that! This is such a fun story write and I can't wait to share all the stuff I have planned with you guys. So, on that note, I'll see you next week! Happy reading!**


	11. The Halloween Ball

**A/N: First, let me start by saying that I'm so sorry I didn't hold up my promise. There was some family stuff going on that just consumed my life for this past month. I feel so bad that I left you guys for so long, but I just had some other stuff going on that needed more attention. As an apology for skipping so many weekends, you guys are getting 4 chapters to make up for the missed month plus 1 bonus chapter this week as an "I'm Sorry"/"Thank You For Sticking With Me". I hope you guys don't hate me and that you love this chapter! (I will be back to my regular schedule this weekend as well, so look out for a 6th chapter on Saturday/Sunday)**

 **Also, I have two quotes for this chapter...and prepare because it's about to get real sappy.**

* * *

 **From** _ **The Elite**_

" _Well, one thing I've thought about is having my dad give me away. You know when he takes your hand and puts it in the hand of the person you marry? That's the only part I've ever really wanted." Embarrassingly enough, it was true._

" _But everyone does that," Celeste complained. "That's not even original."_

 _I should have been mad that she called me out, but I merely shrugged. "I want to know that my dad completely approves of my choice on the day it really matters."_

" _That's nice," Natalie said, sipping her tea and looking out the window._

 _Queen Amberly laughed lightly. "I certainly hope he approves. No matter who it is." She added the last words quickly, catching herself in the middle of implying that Maxon would be my choice._

* * *

 **From** _ **The Elite**_

" _Maxon?" I asked, turning my face toward him._

" _Yes darling?"_

 _I smiled at the name. "Why were you talking with my dad?"_

 _Maxon smiled. "He is aware of my intentions. And you should know that he approves wholeheartedly, so long as you're happy. That seemed to be his only stipulation. I assured him that I'd do everything I could to see that you were, and I told him you seemed happy here already."_

" _I am"_

 _I felt Maxon's chest rise. "Then he and I both have everything we need."_

* * *

I stand back and admire the Great Room. We've finally finished all the preparations for the Halloween ball and the big night is just two days away. Sylvia, of course, is still in a flurry around the room checking every detail and attempting to find something else she can adjust. I know she'll only be like this for another thirty minutes or so before she's finally satisfied that everything is ready. I turn and notice Brice standing against the wall taking everything in.

"America, it looks so pretty," she said in a breathy voice.

"Isn't it?" I ask, coming up to stand next to her.

"Do I get to go?"

I let out a frustrated sigh. Maxon and I had talked in circles about this very question. We want Brice to be a part of the family and to get the chance to enjoy the good things that come with her parentage, but we also know what the public image would be if her lineage got to the press. In the end, we settled that she couldn't go.

I squat down to her level and pull he closer to me. "Brice, the ball is really just for grown-ups," she starts to pout, but I quickly give her the good news, "but tomorrow everyone is going to dress up and you're going to get to go around and get candy, and we'll have a party just for you, ok?"

A huge grin fills her face at that opportunity and she seems to be pleased enough about that answer.

"Now, why don't you go find Mary? I think she has a few costumes for you to try on." The little girl doesn't need any more prompting; she runs out the door and heads for her room.

She bolts right past Maxon, who attempts to ask what's going on, but she's gone before she can give him an answer. He just shakes his head after Brice, and walks into the Great Room.

"Hello, my dear," he says as he places an affectionate arm around my waist, and leans in for a kiss. "It looks incredible in here," he mentions as he steps away and takes a moment to look around the room.

"Good, I'm glad you like it. I figured it would be good to get everything up earlier so we can have our staff party in here tomorrow night, too. I don't think it will be too messy pf a cleanup before the big night." I had just told Brice that the party would be for her, but really, it's also for the staff. Maxon mentioned that because they didn't get to participate in the formal event, the palace would often host a separate party for the staff to celebrate. We figured this would also provide a good time to let Brice in on some of the fun as well.

I step closer to my adorable husband, and wrap myself in his arms, tight against his chest.

"Do you remember the last Halloween Ball?" he asks, wistfully.

I close my eyes and think back to that night. That memory is tied up in so many emotions that I can't help the tears that spring to my eyes. Before I know it, there is a steady stream falling down my cheeks.

Maxon spins me and [pulls my face against his chest. "Oh, darling, I didn't mean to make you cry.'

I laugh through the tears and wipe them away, "I know, it's just that night is so many different things to me. It's the night I first realized that I could see a future with you; it's the night before Marlee's caning; it's the last night I saw my dad."

Maxon nods as he attempts to wipe the tears from my cheeks. "You know that's the only time I ever got to talk to him?" It makes me so sad that I never got to really know him. I feel like I would have liked him."

I put smile up at him and put my hand on his cheek. "Maxon, he would have loved you. He may have been a rebel, but I think once he heard how I talked about you, he knew that'd you be a great man."

"Your dad was a rebel?" Maxon asks, obviously confused. I realize that I never talked to him about it. When I found out about it there was just so much going on, and by the time things had died down a little bit, it wasn't at the front of my mind anymore.

"Yeah, he was a northern rebel. I only found out after he'd died. I really should have known, though. All those history books he had, and of course, my name. all the pieces finally fit together when I figured it out." Maxon doesn't say anything, so I keep talking, trying to justify it to him. "I don't think he would have supported any violence or anything; I think he just didn't like the caste system, and he was ready for some change, you know?" He's still unresponsive. "Maxon? Hello, earth to Maxon!"

He looks down at me with a weird expression and I'm suddenly regretting giving him this information. He must see my doubt because he smiles once again. "Don't worry, I'm not mad, I'm just putting that information with the conversation we had, and..." he hesitates, recalling the conversation once again, "you're right, all the pieces fit together now."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, obviously, I was talking to him with the intention of getting his permission for your hand, but we talked beyond that. He was asking me all these questions about what I thought about your caste and if you'd told me anything about how you'd grown up. At the time, I thought he was just feeling me out to make sure that I was treating you well, but now I realize he was trying to get a sense of my sensibilities." He chuckles and squeezes me a little bit. "Thinking back on it now, I remember how his eyes would flash and light up as we talked about the castes and the things you'd shared with me. It was a lot of the same expressions you have."

We both stand in silence for a little bit.

"Would you have really said 'yes' if I'd proposed that night?" he asks after a while.

"Maxon, I think we've already had this conversation."

"I know, but it just blows me away that it all could have ended that night...all the pain and heartache and fighting; it all could have been avoided."

"I know I would have said 'yes', but I definitely was not as sure of it then as I was the second time you asked. That night I knew I could see a life with you, but it scared me, and I wasn't completely sure of my feelings."

"I don't think I would have been as ready then, either."

I take a step back, and look up at his face. "What? I thought you were in love with me the day you laid eyes on me. I thought you were just waiting for me to catch up to your affection," I say a little teasingly.

He rolls his eyes. "Well, obviously, I was in love with you then, and I was certain of _my_ feelings, but everything that came after that...I wouldn't trade it. Those were probably some of the most heartbreaking moments, but I meant what I said America, my heart is only yours to break. And while the breaking part isn't so great, we always seem to put it back together even better than it was before."

"Wow, you really know what to say to sweep a girl off her feet." As soon as I get the words out, Maxon swiftly picks me up into his arms.

"Well, of course I do, darling. What else would you expect of Prince Charming?"

I laugh, "Alright Prince Charming, why don't you take me upstairs so we can see what ridiculous costume Mary has given that little girl."

Maxon places a kiss on my lips and I melt into it. It's taken a lot for us to get here, and Maxon's right, all the heartbreak has been painful and has produced some very sad memories, but I wouldn't trade them. If anything, they've made me fall more in love with this man than I thought possible. We finally pull away and Maxon sets me down. I take his hand and together we walk upstairs, following the sounds of an excited little voice.

* * *

 **A/N: I hope you guys liked that! This is 1/5 of the chapters this week, so be on the lookout for the next ones. As always, if you have quotes that are your favorites or scenes you want to see, leave me suggestions in the comments. I love reading your reviews, good or bad, and getting the email that there's a new one is the best alert my phone gives me. Love you guys! Keep reading!**


	12. The Sleep Over

**A/N: Here's 2/5 in this week's installments! Enjoy!**

 **On a side note, can I just say how amazing I think Maxon is as a character? I've re-read the books now probably five or six times, and every time he still sweeps me off my feet or takes my breath away. Aside from being incredibly romantic, he's just really supportive, loyal, and true to his beliefs. Seeing him as a father in** _ **The Heir**_ **and** _ **The Crown**_ **was a really cool thing. Okay, rant over. Read away!**

* * *

 **From** _ **The Heir**_

 _I found her alone in the Women's Room. A plaque beside the door declared that the space was actually the Newsome Library, but I'd never heard anyone call it by that name except for Mom on occasion._

* * *

"I'm so nervous," I say to Marlee as we stand by the front doors waiting for our guests to get here.

"Why? You just saw them all a month ago at the ball, and nothing bad happened."

"I know, but there were other people there, and cameras."

"There will be cameras tonight, America."

"Yeah, but just for a little bit, and then it's just us. What if they all still hate me? What if something happens? What if they all turn on me? What if no one shows up?"

Marlee rolls her eyes. "America, I don't think any of them hates you. It's been almost a year since the Selection ended. If any of them still had delusions about being chosen by Maxon, I'm sure they disappeared pretty soon after the wedding. Besides, we could all see during the Selection that he was in love with you. We all knew we never stood a chance."

"Alright, I get it, I get it. You guys tell me that all the time. It would be really great if we could just stop talking about how clueless I was during that whole process. I'm with him now, isn't that all that matters?"

"That's what I'm trying to tell you, crazy lady. We're all relieved you finally figured out how to be together. Now, you better find a new topic to talk about tonight because I guarantee that none of these girls want to spend the whole night reassuring you that they were happy you got married."

Out of the corner of my eye I see Sylvia walking towards us with her usual peppy pace.

"The Women's Room is all set Your Majesty. We've put plenty of pillows, blankets, and mattresses in there. Everyone should sleep comfortably. Although, I don't know why you girls can't just sleep in rooms like normal people."

"It's for the comradery and the friendship of it all, Sylvia. We're all sharing one big room and spending time together. It's less formal," Marlee attempts to explain.

"And less dignified," she retorts, "no queen has ever done this. To think, there will be pictures of you sleeping on the floor."

"Sylvia, you do realize that I'm only 18, right? Most 18-year-old girls have slumber parties all the time."

"Well, you aren't most girls."

"Alright ladies, let's not fight right now. Everyone will be getting here soon," Marlee interjects before I can start a heated argument.

We stand in awkward silence for several more minutes before there's finally a knock on the door. The first girl has arrived.

It only takes about thirty minutes for all the girls to get here and to be shuffled into the Women's Room. There's a low din in the room as everyone is involved in several different conversations. I lightly tap a spoon on a nearby glass to get their attention.

"Good evening, girls. I promise that this evening is in no way formal or strictly planned. We do have some pictures scheduled first, but then the rest of the time is ours. But before we do anything else, I have a few things I want to say." I take a breath and look at all the faces around me. No one seems annoyed, yet, so that's a good sign. "First, I just want to thank you all for coming. It really is great every time I get to see you, but I've been so excited for this night because it's just going to be us! I want to hear all about what's been going on with you guys and share all the gossip and play all the slumber party games. I also have a more serious meaning for getting all of you together this evening." I reach for the covering plaque laying on the table and brace myself so I can get through this without crying.

"Most of you probably remember Celeste Newsome, and while you may not have fond memories of her, I can assure you that she was just as insecure and scared as the rest of us; she just had a much different coping mechanism. In her last few weeks here, we grew to be close, and I got to know the soft girl underneath the hard shell. Her death was completely unnecessary and I'll regret every day that I couldn't do more for her. So, in her memory and because she can't be with us here tonight, I am rededicating this room after her." I pull the sheet off the plaque and display it to the rest of the girls. "This room is now memorialized as the Newsome Library."

The room is silent and I worry that maybe no one else appreciated Celeste like me; maybe this was a mistake to bring it up. It's Kriss who breaks the silence.

"Shouldn't there be more books in here to qualify as a library? Also, did Celeste really read that much?" There's a low chuckle around the room, and Kriss gives me a warm smile. I know she's just joking, and I feel the tension leave my shoulders.

"Yeah, I think Library was just a title, but considering the other library is where our friendship began, I figured it was appropriate." There's a somber silence as we all take it in, and I continue before it can get too quiet again. "Alright, that's enough of the sad stuff. I don't think Celeste would want us to waste this time on silly emotions. Let's do what she loved best: posing for some pictures!"

We spend what feels like hours (really it was just 40 minutes) taking some posed group pictures and some "candid" pictures, before the photographers are satisfied that they have enough. I spend time catching up with everybody. Some of the girls are engaged and I get a lot of invitations to weddings. Others are talking about exciting opportunities to write books, be on TV, or do some other public activity. It seems that the rest of the other girls went back to a pretty simple life. Those girls seem pretty content to live quiet simple lives.

Eventually, and I don't know how, we end up playing a game of truth or dare...or really a game of truth. Most of us don't take the dare option, although Natalie is pretty eager to do any sort of wacky thing she's challenged to. Neither Marlee or I have gotten very many questions, but eventually one comes around to Marlee that I wasn't expecting.

"What's it like not having a caste?" Natalie asks as she returns from stealing one of Maxon's cameras. I wonder how long it will take him to notice it's gone.

Marlee looks pretty shocked, but takes a moment to compose herself and answers the question. "Well, at first, it wasn't really much of anything. Carter and I had been living in the palace doing little odds and ends. We were supposed to be eights, but Maxon, being the kind person we all know he is, didn't shove us out. So for a while, there wasn't much of a difference, but now..." she paused for a minute, struggling to find words to fit her thoughts. "It's...I don't know how to explain it. On the one hand, I feel like it's so right to just live without a caste, you know? I live without some silly number telling me who I have to be. But, it's also this really heavy weight. Carter and I were the first to be free of it...and that's a priveledge I will always carry with me, and I'll be in debt to America and Maxon for the rest of my life."

We all sit and take it in. The girls must know about all the turmoil, and I'm sure some of them have witnessed it first-hand. The process of eliminating the castes has been long and strenuous, and they must know that eventually they'll all be stripped of their number, too.

"Well, I think it's pretty cool, and I can't wait until the whole system is gone," Natalie pipes back in, and to my surprised all of the girls nod in agreement.

I clear my throat, eager to return to the carefree atmosphere from earlier. "Alright, Marlee, I think it's your turn to ask someone a question."

Marlee looks around the room dramatically before her eyes land on me. "Okay, America, truth or dare?"

I see the devilish looks in her eye, and afraid of what she might make do, I answer, "Truth."

"What's Maxon like in bed?"

My eyes go wide and I feel my face warm with blush. There a few chuckles and gasps from the other girls in the circle but I can see they're all eager to hear the answer.

"Oh, come on, that's not fair. I can't answer that."

"You said truth," I hear a deep voice from across the room, and as if I couldn't already be embarrassed enough, I see my husband leaning against the wall with a smirk on his face.

Now I'm really unsure of what to do, and I see some of the other girls are just as shocked.

"You do know this is the _Women's_ Room, right?" I hear Elise ask in a louder voice than is usual for her.

"I know, but someone seems to have run off with my camera," he answers looking over at Natalie who is failing to find a hiding place for the object in question.

I walk over and pick up the camera before taking it to him. "Alright, here you go, now please leave."

"No, I think I want to hear your answer."

I stand up on my tiptoes and whisper in his ear. "You definitely already know the answer." I place a quick peck on his cheek and step away. "Now, as your queen and the one in charge of the Women's Room, I order you to leave."

"Okay, I'm going. Have a good evening ladies!"

I watch him walk away with a small smile before returning to the group.

"Look at you!" I hear Tiny call out as I walk back.

"What?"

"You are so smitten!" Emmica answers.

I laugh and look back at the closed door. "Well, he's a pretty great guy...guys I don't want to talk about this, isn't it awkward?"

I hear a chorus of no's and see them shaking their heads.

"Believe it or not America, but we're all capable of moving on...besides I don't think any of us had the relationship you two obviously have," Kriss responds. "Now, will you answer Marlee's question because you have to spill. It's a rule."

"Alright, alright...Maxon is...very attentive, and very good. Just like everything else he does. IS that good enough." Again the girls laugh and blush and I turn my attention to Bariel.

* * *

We stayed up for several more hours playing games and talking, but eventually everyone fell asleep. I wake up in the middle of the night and reach over for Maxon only to remember that I'm sleeping on a small mattress by myself in a room full of girls. I try to go back to sleep, but give up after an hour of tossing and turning. I quietly get up and make my way to the garden.

Stepping outside, I'm comforted by the breeze that comes with late fall in Angeles. I make my way to the bench only to find it's already occupied. I walk up and take seat next to the small girl with her eyes trained on the stars.

"What are you doing out here?" I ask as I sit down.

Brice jumps a little at the sound of my voice, but eagerly crawls into my lap when she realizes who I am. "I had a bad dream, and I wanted to come look at the stars."

"Does anyone know you're out here?"

She nods. "Maxon brought me out here. He went to go get me a glass of warm milk. He said that will help me sleep."

As if on cue, Maxon returns with two glasses of milk.

"I guess none of us can sleep tonight, hmm?"

Brice eagerly reaches for the glass and Maxon hands it to her as he takes the empty seat next to us. Brice sips on her drink contentedly, lazily gazing at the stars.

"Why am I here?" she asks eventually.

"What?" I ask, shifting her slightly so I can get a better look at her face.

"Why am I here? There aren't any other kids living here, and I don't get to go to anything. Plus, you said that I couldn't tell anybody that I'm living here...why is it a secret?"

I look at Maxon and he sighs, running a hand through his already messy hair. "Brice, what if I tell you the secret? Do you promise not to tell anyone ever? Because this is pretty important."

She nods. "I promise."

"Well, my father, the king, do you remember him?" She gives him another wordless yes. "He also knew your mommy...and he loved her too. So they decided to have a baby. And that baby was you."

I could tell he wasn't sure how to put this to an eight year old, and I could also tell that is pained to him to mention his father's infidelity to his mother.

"He loved my mommy? But what about your mommy?"

"Well..." Maxon looked at me for help.

"He loved them both." I answered. "He loved Maxon's mommy and your mommy. And the good thing is that Maxon's not by himself anymore because you're his sister, he gets to have more family now."

Brice sat quietly in my lap looking into her glass of milk. "So, King Clarkson was my daddy and your daddy?" she asks looking at Maxon. Now it was his turn to nod. "But, he's gone now right? The rebels got him?"

Maxon nods again and I can see a few tears fall down his cheeks.

"Well," Brice tacks on seeing Maxon become sad, "You don't have a mommy or daddy and I don't have mommy or daddy, but I have a Maxon...and you have me." She states matter-of-factly. Maxon and I both laugh and she crawls over to Maxon's lap.

"You're right kiddo, I have you." He says into her hair and eventually she falls asleep in her brother's arms.

* * *

 **A/N: Wow! That was a lot! It's so fun to see all the places this story takes me and getting to tell their story is such a journey. I get so excited just to write it all down. Anyway, wipe the tears away and go about your day. 2 down 3 to go; happy reading! (Next Chapters coming tomorrow!)**


	13. The Holidays

**A/N: Alright, guys, here's the next little chunk. I really hope you guys are liking this. Enjoy!**

 **Also, I added a room to the palace that may or not be mentioned in the books. (Although I feel like the only rooms we ever hear about are the Women's Room and the Great Room). So, anyway, I don't know if there's like a formal sitting room or family room, but I just went with living room. If any of you guys know if there's reference to such a room in the books, let me know. Or maybe you don't care about the details that much. This has gotten away from me...all I meant was, forgive me if this is not exactly accurate to the book.**

* * *

Christmas Eve used to be one of my favorite days. Though we couldn't afford much, there was always a sense of warmth and wealth in my house growing up. At the time, I might not have appreciated that as much as I should have. Now, it's become a very dreary day. I toss the covers off me and quietly leave the room, being very careful not to wake Maxon. I walk the cold stone hallways of the palace, looking at the endless decorations that cover every surface. For the first time since getting married, I don't know where to go. I just feel a rising loneliness and panic. Eventually I settle for a dark corner in an abandoned hallway.

I remember last Christmas Eve. I had started the day so positive. It was near the end of the Selection, Celeste and I were on the way to a more solid friendship, I was looking forward to a grand meal, and then my whole world came crashing down. It was the day I found out my dad died. And with the attacks that followed shortly after, this whole holiday has become shrouded in sorrow.

I know it's been hard on Maxon, too. He's been very quiet and secluded lately. The last week has been especially hard what with the planning of the memorial service. All of it has been very heavy, and what should have been a happy celebration of our first Christmas together has become a pitiful party for two extremely burdened people.

I sit in the darkness, lost in the memories of my father that I so rarely call to mind. When him sit down next to me, I don't even hesitate, I fall against his shoulder and start sobbing.

"That's okay, Mer, let it out," I hear Aspen whisper against my head.

I cling to my friend, the one friend here who knew how amazing my dad was, how caring and supportive. I hold onto the one piece of home in this place and let it consume me. Eventually I hear hurried footsteps, and I feel Maxon gentle lift me out of his arms and into Maxon's.

"Thanks," I hear Maxon say over my head.

"No problem," Aspen responds, and then I hear him retreat down the hall.

"It's not fair," I sob into my husband's chest.

"I know, believe me I know."

"He missed out on so much, and that makes me so mad! He didn't do anything wrong, and still he went way before he was supposed to. And right before Christmas, too? How is that fair?"

"It's not, America. It's not fair."

"I just—I just," I stutter out, but I can't find the words. The injustice is eating away at me and I can't find the words. I want to scream, but I don't know who to scream at.

"America, you need to breath, you're going to hyperventilate," Maxon cautions, and I take a few deep breaths, trying as hard as possible to stop the sobs ripping through my body.

Eventually I'm able to slow down, and I pull away from Maxon to wipe my face on my sleeve.

"I always feel like I'm getting over it, you know? Or at least like I'm finding some peace. But then it all washes over me again, and I just feel so useless." Maxon rubs small, comforting circles on my back as I wipe the last of my tears away. "And I know that after I get through today and tomorrow, everything will just be so raw again at the end of the week."

Maxon gives me a small smile, and takes the hand picking at the hem of my shirt into his.

"America, this week is going to be hard, for both of us. What happened, it's not fair, and it shouldn't have happened. We were not supposed to lose our parents so soon, but we did. I promise you, though, I will be here for you. I'm not going anywhere. I can't. I can't handle this without you. The only thing that has been getting me through all this, that has woken me up every morning and kept me going, is you. None of this would have been worth it if you hadn't said yes."

In this moment, I fall in love with him all over again; who wouldn't? I can't believe that it took me so long to realize my feelings for him, because it seems like every day I realize again just how in love with him I am. I lean in and give him a soft kiss.

"Oh," I say, catching a glimpse of the clock over Maoxn's shoulder as we pull away, "Merry Christmas."

"What?"

"It's after Midnight, Merry Christmas."

Maxon laughs. "This is not exactly how I wanted to start our first Christmas together."

"Really? Drying your wife's tears wasn't at the top of the list?"

He simply smiles and pulls me in for another kiss.

* * *

In the morning, Maxon and I sit on the couch in the living room surrounded by the discarded wrappings from Christmas and watching Brice sort through all of her gifts. We tried not to spoil her, but it was really hard. Between Maxon and I and all of our extended family, she'll probably get way more than she needs this Christmas, but I don't think any of us could help it.

"When does your aunt get here?" I ask as I stuff torn up gift wrap into a trash bag.

"She should be here around one. What about your family?"

"I don't think they're going to get here until dinner time. Also, Kenna called and told me they're not coming."

"What? Why?"

I shrug and set the bag aside. "She said it would just be too much hassle. I think she was really torn up about, you know? She wanted to be here, to remember dad with all of us, but it's just too much stress right now. I told we'd call her as a family."

Maxon doesn't say anything and I can feel the excitement from earlier quickly dissipating.

"Maxon, can we agree not to talk about our parents today? It's Christmas; I think we should focus on the happy part of all of this."

"I completely agree."

And with that we go back to contentedly listening as Brice tells us all about one of her new toys. The rest of the early morning goes on much the same. Brice feels the need to tell us all about each of her gifts and give us a demonstration. Eventually it's time for all of us to get ready for family to arrive. Just as I'm pulling my sweater over my head, I hear commotion in the hall. Maxon's aunt is here.

"Adele, it's so good to see you!" I exclaim as I walk out into the hall.

She pulls me into a tight hug and hums a little bit as she does. "America, how are you, sweetheart?"

I pull away and smooth out my sweater. "Oh, you know, we're getting through. This morning was crazy. Brice got way more than she could handle and I can only imagine how she's going to react when she sees what she's getting tonight."

Adele smiles and tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. "It's so nice that Maxon has a sister, he's always wanted one. Even though Brice isn't hers, I think Amberly would be happy to know that her boy's not alone." I see her wipe a few tears away before she resumes her loud, happy attitude from earlier. "Now, where is that nephew of mine?"

I laugh and lead her down the hall, I see her children already chasing each other up and down the halls behind us. "He's just getting dressed, but he said you guys should go ahead and unpack. Then we'll meet downstairs in the living room."

"Alright, dear. Kids! Come on, let's get settled." She leads her fighting ducklings down the hall towards their rooms. Trailing at the end of the group is her husband, with their youngest attached to his hip.

I walk downstairs to see Maxon and Brice already in the living room. Maxon's sitting on the ground next to Brice as they put together a brick set that she got this morning. I see Maxon's camera sitting on a table nearby and I pick it up and quietly snap a few pictures. Of course, Maxon eventually catches on and motions for the camera while suggesting that I should take his place on the floor. This is how I wanted to spend Christmas. I wanted to be with my family and enjoy the closeness and happiness that is supposed to come with this holiday.

Before long, we're joined by all of Maxon's cousins and the chaos ensues. Maxon and I sit and talk with his aunt and uncle as the children run around the room. Before long, my family shows up and only adds to the volume. It's not quiet again until dinner starts.

"So, I just want to thank everyone for coming," Maxon starts as we sit at the table, "I know that this is not an easy holiday for anyone at this table. It has been a hard year and we've all felt the loss, but that's not what I want to focus on today. We can have the rest of the week to mourn, but today is about what we have right now. We have family. It may be small or incomplete, but it's still the most important thing to me. America and I are all so grateful to have you and I personally can't imagine what it would be like without you in my life. So, on that note, here's to family." Maxon raises his glass and we all follow suit. He's right. My family may be missing a few pieces, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

* * *

 **A/N: Okay, I know the chapters haven't been the most uplifting lately, but I promise the next ones will be happy. Anyway, that's 3/6. Don't forget to check out the next one too!**


	14. The Deal

**A/N: Last one tonight! The other two will be coming before the weekend is over though, so be on the lookout for those. Anyway, as promised, here's a happy chapter for you! It is a little shorter, but I think it's till really good. Enjoy!**

* * *

"So, how are things for you and Carter going?" I ask Marlee over my tea.

She smiles and sets her plate aside. "They're actually going really well."

"Really? Do tell!"

"Well, we're just really happy right now, you know? We've been spending a lot of time together and, I mean, don't get me wrong, it hasn't been all rainbows and sunshine, but I have no complaints."

"Wow, you sound just like you did when I asked you about him that first time."

Marlee laughs and leans forward. "America, it's just...I don't even know. I just love him so much. When I think about how it all could have ended up, I just laugh because I don't think I was supposed to be with anyone else, you know?"

"Oh, believe me, I get it. I'm constantly reminded of just how long it took me to get out of my own way."

"Well, anyway, Carter and I were wondering if you guys wanted to have, like, a couples' dinner tonight."

"Tonight? What's the occasion?"

"Oh nothing," she says with a wave of her hand, but I can tell something is up. "How does, six o'clock sound? In the private dining room?"

"Aren't I the one who's supposed to be inviting you to dinner there? It is my dining room after all."

"Whatever," she says, standing up, "does that sound good?"

"It sounds perfect."

"Alright, well I'll set the menu, so don't worry about that. I have to get back to work, but I'll see you at dinner tonight!"

She practically dances out of the room and I'm certain that she has some news that she's not sharing with me. I walk back to the office and sit down across from Maxon's desk instead of at my own.

"Marlee's pregnant," I say nonchalantly and wait for my husband to respond. I don't have to wait long.

"What?"

"She's pregnant."

"Did she tell you that?"

I shrug. "No, but I'm she is. She said she wants to have a 'couples' dinner with us tonight; just out of blue. I think she's going to tell us she's pregnant."

Maxon rolls his eyes and goes back to work. "Darling, I think she would have told you if she was. Besides, it's not a crime to invite your friends to dinner; I believe it's pretty common, in fact."

"Well, we'll see who's right at dinner, I guess."

"Fine," he says with a sigh and sets his work aside. "you want to make this official?"

I lift an eyebrow and cross my arms. "Yes, if we go to dinner and she tells us she's pregnant, then you have to cook me dinner one night a week for a month."

"What?"

"You heard me! I've cooked for you before, well, it's your turn now mister."

"Fine, but if it turns out she's not pregnant, then you have to let me do a photo shoot with you."

"I believe we have a deal."

* * *

At dinner Maxon and I maintain polite conversation, but I start to feel pretty tense as the meal starts to wind down and neither Marlee nor Carter has mentioned anything of note.

"So, Marlee," I prompt, "is there anything big going on with you guys?"

"Well," Marlee starts, and takes Carter's hand. "We're thinking about moving."

"Moving?" I ask, slightly panicked; this is not where I thought this was going. "Why?"

"We just want somewhere bigger, you know? Somewhere, we can...grow into?"

"Why don't you just move into one of the apartments here?" Maxon suggests, "There's plenty of space closer to us."

"We just didn't feel it was our place, and we don't want to insert ourselves where we shouldn't be."

"Nonsense, you know you're always welcome here." I reassure them, eager to keep my friend close to me.

"Well, it's just that..." Carter hesitates.

"I'm pregnant!" Marlee blurts out.

I jump from my seat and rush around to hug my friend. "I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!"

She laughs as I hold her tight, and I see Maxon give congratulate Carter over her shoulder.

"We just don't want to be a bother what with a newborn and all," Carter explains.

"Please, it's no trouble at all. You think I'm going to let you leave now?" I ask as I let Marlee go and walk back to my seat.

"Well, we don't need to do anything now, but we'd like to move into a new space before too long, just so we can be ready, if that's okay with you."

"Whenever you need to, just let us know and we'd be glad to help," Maxon says.

I lean over to give him a kiss on the cheek, but I whisper in his ear instead, "I guess we better find you an apron."

* * *

 **A/N: Alright, there's a nice little fluffy piece for you! I hope you liked it! That's 4/6. The other two will be here before the weekend's over. See you again soon!**


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